JACK 
HARKAWAY 

AT 
OXFORD 


BRACEBRIDGE     HEMYNG 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
LOS  ANGELES 


JACK  HARKAWAY 


AT   OXFORD 


BY 

8RACEBRIDGE  HEMYNG 


CHICAGO: 
M.   A,   DONOHVE  &  CO. 


A.    DONOHUE  <Sc   COMPANY 

PRINTERS   AND    BINDERS 
•+O7-429    DEARBORN    STREET 

CH  ICAGO 


i 


JJ 


CONTENTS. 


PAG« 

I.  Jack  becomes  an  Oxford  Freshman ...  5 

II.  A  Sell  for  Harvey 9 

III.  Jack's  First  Wine 20 

IV.  Mr.  Scraper  gets  Screwed  Up 26 

V.  Jack  is  "  Gated  " 31 

VI.  The  Fair 38 

VII.  Town  and  Gown 43 

VIII.  A  Run  forSafety 50 

IX.  Kemp  asks  a  Favor 55 

X.  What  Kemp  Wanted. 63 

XI.  Jack's  Bravery  on  the  River 67 

XII.  Falling  into  a  Trap 74 

XIII.  TheRace 85 

XIV.  Jack  Gets  a  Disagreeable  Letter 93 

XV.  The  Money-Lender's  Daughter 98 

XVI.  Murder  in  the  Dark 104 

XVII.  The  Proctor  is  Puzzled no 

XVIII.  In  the  Sewer 117 

XIX.  Kemp's  New  Plot 123 

XX.  Jack  is  asked  His  Intentions 129 

XXI.  Mr.  Mole  makes  a  Strange  Purchase 138 

XXII.  Music  in  the  Corn  Market *44 

XXIII.  Training  at  Putney 148 

XXIV.  Hunston  at  Work 154 

XXV.  Imprisoned  for  Debt 160 

XXVI.  Hilda's  Generosity 167 

XXVII.  TheRace 171 

XXVIII.  Mole's  Discovery 179 

XXIX.  The  Fight  at  the  Roadside  Inn 186 

XXX.  Hunston 's  Escape I91 

The  Scout's  Revenge 199 


4841S7 

LIBRARY 


4  CONTENTS. 

» 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXXII.  Seapy  Sam  is  up  to  His  Tricks 204 

XXXIII.  The  Challenge 213 

XXXIV.  Negotiations 218 

XXXV.  The  Duel 224 

XXXVI.  The  Captive  Maidens 233 

XXXVII.  Storming  the  Cottage 239 

XXXVIII.  The  Match  at  Lord's 244 

XXXIX.  Gentle  May 253 

XL.  A  Strange  Arrival  at  Oxford 259 

XLI.  An  Arrival  from  Limbi 262 

XI/H.  Mr.  Mole  turns  His  attention  to  Science 266 

XLIII.  A  Mysterious  Parcel 276 

XLIV.  An  Exposure 283 

XLV.  Jack  is  Haunted  290 

XLVI.  The  Ghost  on  the  Ice ^ 297 


JACK  HARKAWAY  AT  OXFORD. 

CHAPTER  I. 

JACK  BECOMES  AN  OXFORD  FRESHMAN. 

"OXFORD!  Oxford!"  The  porters  ran  briskly  up  and 
down  the  platform,  as  the  Great  Western  express  ran  into 
the  station. 

' '  Oxford  !  Oxford  !  "  they  cried,  opening  the  doors  of 
the  carriages,  and  allowing  the  passengers  to  alight. 
The  engine  that  had  brought  the  train  down  was 
known  as  the  Flying  Dutchman,  and  the  speed  at  which 
she  went  was  something  to  marvel  at. 

"  Here,  porter,  open  the  door,"  said  a  young  gentleman. 

The  man  did  as  he  was  requested,  and  took  charge  o< 
rugs,  hat-boxes,  fishing-rods,  and  other  trifles,  with  which 
the  passenger  was  burdened. 

No  sooner  had  the  passenger  landed  himself  on  the 
platform  than  one  about  his  own  age,  which  was  not 
more  than  eighteen,  stepped  up,  and  shook  him. cordially 
by  the  hand. 

"Harvey,  old  fellow,  I'm  delighted  to  see  you,"  said 
Jack.  "How  are  they  all  at  home?  "  he  exclaimed. 

"Jolly,  thanks.  I  thought  you  would  come  and  mee/ 
me,  Harkaway,"  said  Harvey. 

jack  Harkaway  had  been  up  at  Oxford  for  a  week. 

Harvey  was  unable  to  come  -with  him  owing  to  his 
mother's  illness,  but  when  she  got  better,  he  wrote  to  say 
he  should  be  down  by  the  express. 

Jack  wore  the  cap  and  gown  which  distinguish  univer- 
sity men. 

Seeing  it  for  the  first  time,  it  arrested  Harvey's 
attention. 

"You've  come  out  fulj   fig  to  meet  me,"  he  exclaimed. 


6  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"Can't  help  it,"  replied  Jack.  "It's  what  one  must  do 
here,  if  you  don't  want  to  get  proctorised. " 

"It  looks  more  comfortable  than  going  about  in 
beaver,''  answered  Harvey,  thinking  of  his  own  chimney- 
pot hat. 

"  We  call  it  a  mortar-board  ;  you'll  soon  get  used  to  it 
But  come  and  have  a  quiet  beer  with  me," 

"  How  about  the  luggage  ?  " 

"Oh,  the  porter  will  send  it  up." 

The  man,  who  had  been  respectfully  waiting  while  the 
friends  were  talking,  touched  his  cap,  and  exclaimed — 

"Certainly,  sir.     What  college,  sir?" 

"  St.  Aldate's.  Ask  for  Mr.  Harvey's  rooms  ;  they  are 
in  the  inner  quad." 

They  gave  the  man  some  money,  which  in  its  amount 
so  acted  upon  his  sense  of  gratitude,  that  he  touched  his 
cap  again,  and  looking  out  a  truck  began  to  place  the 
luggage  which  the  guard  had  taken  out  of  the  van  on  it, 
preparatory  to  wheelingit  up  to  the  college  mentioned 
by  Jack. 

Adjourning  to  the  refreshment-room,  the  two  freshmen 
— as  new-comers  in  their  first  year  are  called — devoted 
their  attention  to  the  sparkling  bitter. 

"Nothing  like  malt,"  remarked  Harvey,  "after  a 
journey.  One  dip  of  the  beak  in  the  foaming  tankard  is 
a  reviver.  And  now,  tell  me,  how  do  you  get  on  here? 
What  do  you  do,  and  how  do  you  like  it  ?  " 

"Awfully,"  replied  Jack.  "I  have  scarcely  had  time 
to  settle  down,  but  I  like  it  immensely." 

"Is  it  like  school?  " 

"  Not  a  bit ;  there  is  as  much  difference  between  school 
and  college,  as  there  is  between  chalk  and  cheese.  We 
have  chapel  every  morning  at  eight,  but  we  can  shirk  it 
three  clays  out  of  seven." 

"Then  you  do  very  much  as  you  please? " 

"I  should  think  so  ;  there's  lots  of  liberty.  You're  not 
expected  to  be  in  gates  till  twelve,  so  you  can  spend  your 
evenings  in  other  fellows'  rooms.  The  colleges  are  dotted 
about  the  town  in  such  a  very  quaint  way,  you  know." 

"Where  do  you  dine?  "  inquired  Harvey. 

"In  our  own  hall,  at  five." 

"And  the  work?  " 

"Oh  !  the  work  depends  very  much  upon  what  a  fellow 


/A  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  7 

likes  to  do.  The  reading  men  read  in  their  rooms  and 
with  coaches.  A  coach  is  a  tutor,  who  puts  you  up  to 
dodges  and  questions  for  the  examinations." 

"But  you  have  to  attend  lectures,  haven't  you?  " 

"Yes;  I  am  in  twelve  lectures  a  week,  of  an  hour 
each,"  replied  Jack;  "that  makes  just  two  hours  a  day. 
Think  of  that." 

"What  do  you  read?  " 

' '  Oh  !  Greek  Testament,  Virgil,  Herodotus,  and  the 
first  book  of  Euclid.  It's  child's  play  to  a  fellow  who  was 
in  the  first  form  at  our  old  school." 

"I  think  we  shall  have  a  jolly  time,"  remarked 
Harvey. 

"  I'm  sure  of  it" 

"  How's  Monday?" 

"  Oh  !  the  nigger  is  all  right.  He  sleeps  out  of  college, 
but  he  waits  upon  me,  and  is  always  hanging  about  my 
rooms.  The  men  call  him  the  Black  Prince,  and  have 
rare  larks  with  him." 

"And  Mole?" 

"  Oh  !  Mole  is  up  here,  and  has  started  as  a  coach.  I 
am  one  of  his  pupils,  though  I  have  not  troubled  him 
much  yet." 

"Where  are  my  rooms,  and  what  are  they  like?  "  said 
Harvey,  adding — "I  am  afraid  I  am  bothering  you  with 
such  a  jolly  lot  of  questions." 

"Which  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  answer,  my  dear 
Dick.  Your  rooms  are  in  the  same  quad  as  mine,  though 
on  a  different  staircase." 

"What's  a  quad?" 

"Why,  the  quadrangle,  or  square,  the  houses  in  which 
are  cut  up  into  sets  of  rooms  for  the  men.  We  have  only 
one  tutor,  Mr.  Scraper,  living  in  our  quad,  and  we  are 
trying  to  make  his  life  so  miserable  that  he  will  have  to 
clear  out." 

"  Is  St.  Aldate's  a  swell  college  ?  " 

"  I  should  think  it  was.  There  are  lots  of  rich  men  in 
it,  and  it  is  thought  the  fastest  in  Oxford.  I've  made  some 
acquaintances  already." 

' '  Nice  fellows  ?  " 

"Very.  The  first  is  Tom  Garden  ;  he  is  the  captain  of 
our  college  eight,  and  has  a  funny  way  of  altering  the 
letters  of  words." 


8  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"How?" 

"Why,  instead  of  saying  he's  going  to  have  a  mutton 
chop,  he  says — '  I'm  going  to  struggle  with  a  chuttor 
mop/  You'll  soon  find  out." 

"  I  see.  If  he  was  going  to  take  a  walk,  it  would  be 
wake  a  talk.  Funny  man  !  " 

"Then  there  is  Fabian  Hall,  he's  a  reading  man — awful 
sap,  and  Sir  Sydney  Dawson,  who  is  the  head  of  the  fast 
set  ;  got  heaps  of  tin,  kicks  up  a  horrid  din  late  at  night, 
drives  tandem,  and  drives  the  dons,  as  we  call  the 
authorities,  frantic." 

"I  must  desire  his  further  acquaintance,  as  Bottom  the 
weaver  said,"  remarked  Harvey. 

"Then  there  is  Gussy  Kemp — can't  quite  make  him 
out ;  and  they  are  the  lot,  four  of  them,  all  told." 

' '  What's  amiss  with  Kemp  ?  " 

"I  don't  know,  exactly.  He's  clever,  but  he's  got  a 
bad  mouth." 

"That's  a  queer  reason  for  disliking  a  man,"  laughed 
Harvey. 

"You  know  the  monkey  I  brought  back  from  Singa* 
pore  ? "  continued  Jack. 

"  That  artful,  leary  old  article  ?  " 

"That's  the  one.  Well,  I've  got  him  in  my  rooms,  and 
he's  a  great  card.  He  followed  me  into  chapel  the  other 
day,  and  hid  in  the  pulpit." 

"  By  Jove  !  " 

"Fact.  Well,  sir,  he  got  up  in  the  middle  of  the  creed, 
and  began  chatting  away  like  anything,  and  it  was  only 
by  hitting  him  on  the  head  with  a  stick  that  we  got  him 
to  behave  anything  like  decent.  The  dean  sent  for  me, 
and  I've  had  to  promise  to  put  a  chain  on  him." 

"  What  a  joke  !  "  said  Harvey. 

"It  wasn't  much  of  a  joke  for  me.  I  got  a  wigging,  I 
can  tell  you.  Ever  since  then  Dawson  has  called  him 
the  Bishop  of  Oxford,  whose  nickname  up  here  is  Soapy 
Sam  ;  so  I  expect  the  monkey  will  be  called  Soapy  Sam 
or  the  Bishop  to  the  day  of  his  death. " 

"  Did  Dawson  christen  him  ? " 

"Yes  ;  he  put  him  in  my  bath,  and  poured  a  bottle  of 
wine  over  him.  Didn't  the  Bishop  walk  into  his  affections 
though  for  it  ?  " 

"How?" 


J  A  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  9 

"  He  got  on  to  the  top  of  my  bookcase  and  shied  a 
plaster-of- Paris  bust  of  Shakespeare  bang  on  his  head. 
Mop  up  the  malt,  and  we'll  toddle  up  to  St.  Aldate's. " 

Harvey  put  his  arm  in  Jack's,  and  they  walked  from 
the  station  towards  the  town. 

The  glimpses  that  his  conversation  with  Jack  had  given 
him  of  college  life  made  Harvey  anxious  to  get  to  St. 
Aldate's. 

"You  will  like  our  college.  It  is  a  dear  old  place," 
exclaimed  Jack. 

' '  I  hope  so  ;  at  all  events,  I  shall  never  forget  that  it  is 
through  your  kindness  that  I  am  able  to  come  up  here," 
replied  Harvey. 

"Don't  bother  about  that,"  said  Jack,  returning  the 
pressure  of  his  friend's  hand. 


CHAPTER  II. 

A  SELL   FOR   HARVEY. 

IT  was  the  beginning  of  the  winter  term,  and  the  air, 
though  cold,  was  clear  and  crisp. 

The  first  object  of  interest  as  they  entered  the  town 
was  a  gaol,  which  is  called  Oxford  Castle. 

It  has  an  imposing  appearance,  and  Harvey  said — 

' '  What  is  that  place  ?  " 

A  mischievous  idea  came  into  Jack's  head. 

"  That's  our  college,"  he  said. 

"Is  it  really  ?     It  doesn't  look  very  old." 

"Ah,  it's  very  old  inside.  We  have  put  a  new  front 
on,"  answered  Jack. 

"  I  wonder  if  my  traps  are  come?"  said  Harvey. 

"Go  inside  and  ask  ;  I  will  go  a  little  further  and  get 
some  cigars.  The  man  at  the  gate  will  show  you  the 
place,"  replied  Jack. 

"Very  well ;  don't  be  long.  I  want  you  to  show  me 
the  place,"  replied  Harvey. 

Jack  nodded,  and  went  on  a  little  way  further. 

Harvey,  totally  unsuspicious  of  the  real  character  of  the 
building,  walked  to  the  gate  of  the  castle. 

It  happened  that  the  week  before  a  prisoner  had  escaped. 


10  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

He  was  a  young  man,  and  Harvey  somewhat  resembled 
him  in  appearance,  the  similarity  being  further  carried 
out  by  the  fact  of  his  having  had  his  hair  cut  rather  short 
the  day  before. 

A  solemn-looking  official  opened  a  wicket  in  the  gate 
for  him,  at  the  same  time  asking  him  what  he  wanted. 

"  I  want  to  be  taken  to  my  den,"  replied  Harvey,  in  a 
cheery  tone. 

"Are  you  an  inmate  of  the  building,  out  on  leave?" 
inquired  the  gatekeeper. 

"I  am  afraid  I  have  been  absent  for  a  week  without 
leave,"  Harvey  said,  with  a  smile. 

"  What  name?  " 

Harvey  told  him. 

The  name  of  the  escaped  convict  was  Chalvey,  and  the 
gatekeeper  thought  he  said  Chalvey. 

A  light  instantly  broke  upon  him. 

Here  was  the  escaped  prisoner,  touched  by  remorse,  or 
hunted  by  the  police,  come  to  give  himself  up. 

At  first  he  fancied  he  was  one  of  the  new  warders  out 
on  leave. 

Now  he  felt  sure  that  he  had  guessed  rightly. 

"Step  inside,"  he  said  roughly. 

Harvey  did  so,  and  found  himself  in  a  courtyard  sur- 
rounded on  two  sides  with  a  high  brick  wall,  and  in  front 
of  him  was  the  gaol. 

"  Gloomy-looking  sort  of  place,"  he  thought. 

"  March  !  "  exclaimed  the  gatekeeper  ;  "and  look  'ere, 
my  lad,  no  humbug." 

Harvey  stared  at  him. 

"Rude,  uncultivated  sort  of  buffer,  this  gatekeeper," 
he  said  to  himself.  "  I  must  have  him  inquired 
into." 

When  the  entrance  to  the  goal  was  reached,  the  gate- 
keeper spoke  to  a  warder,  who  looked  at  Harvey  and 
nodded. 

Unlocking  a  door  with  a  key,  he  disclosed  a  long  gal- 
lery, with  doors  on  either  side. 

One  of  these  he  opened. 

"This  way  !  "  he  exclaimed. 

Harvey  hesitated  a  moment 

"Come  on,"  said  the  warder.  "You've  give  your- 
self up.  What's  the  use  of  being  stubborn  ? " 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 1 

More  puzzled  than  ever,  Harvey  entered  the  kamptuli- 
coned  passage,  and  was  ushered  into  a  narrow  cell. 

Before  he  had  time  to  realise  his  position,  the  door  was 
shut  upon  him,  and  the  key  turned  with  a  click. 

He  looked  on  the  bare  walls,  and  the  absence  of  furni- 
ture and  carpet  struck  him  strangely. 

"Well, "he  exclaimed,  "if  this  is  college  life  at  Ox- 
ford, all  I  can  say  is,  Oxford  is  a  rummy-go  sort  of  a 
place.  Very  much  a  one-horse  place,  I  should  call  it. 
Wonder  where  I  am  ?  wonder  how  long  they  mean  to 
keep  me  here  ?  Perhaps  it's  a  lark ;  perhaps  it's  part  of 
the  regular  thing  one  has  to  go  through.  Anyhow,  it's 
not  nice." 

The  minutes  glided  by,  and  he  began  to  feel  lonely  and 
oppressed. 

Putting  his  hands  in  his  pockets,  he  whistled  and  tried 
to  look  out  of  a  barred  window,  but  could  not,  because  it 
was  too  high  up. 

Just  as  he  had  reached  the  last  bar  of  the  chorus  to 
"After  the  opera  is  over,"  a  little  grating  in  the  door 
opened,  and  a  grim  face  appeared,  while  a  gruff  voice 
exclaimed — 

"No  noise,  you  Chalvey." 

Harvey  subsided. 

"  They  won't  let  me  whistle,  and  they  call  me  Chal- 
vey," he  murmured;  "what  shall  I  do?  Funny  place 
this.  Oh  !  I  know,  I'll  toss  my  self  for  imaginary  drinks." 

He  put  a  half-a-crown  in  each  hand,  and  made  one  hand 
cry  to  the  other. 

While  he  was  thus  engaged,  the  warder  and.  the  gate- 
keeper had  gone  to  the  governor  of  the  gaol. 

They  informed  him  how  that  desperate  and  determined 
character,  Chalvey,  had  given  himself  up. 

The  governor  smiled  a  smile  of  satisfaction. 

"I  will  go  and  see  him.  An  example  must  be  made  of 
him.  We'll  black-hole  and  bread-and-water  him,"  said 
the  austere  governor. 

He  proceeded  to  the  cell,  which  was  opened  for  him. 
and  confronted  Harvey. 

"So  you  have  come  back,  192  ?  "  he  said. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  calling  me  192  ?  "  asked  Har- 
vey, indignantly. 

"That's  your  number." 


12  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"Number  be  hanged  !  " 

"You'd  best  be  civil,  or  we  shall  know  how  to  make- 
you,"  replied  the  governor. 

"  Look  here,  old  fellow  ;  is  this  a  lark  ? "  asked  Harvey. 

"  You're  the  man  who  escaped  ;  that's  enough  for  me," 
answered  the  governor. 

"Escaped  ?     What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"Isn't  he  the  man?"  inquired  the  governor,  turning  to 
the  warder. 

"  He  looks  like  him,  sir.  If  he  isn't,  what  did  he  want 
to  come  and  give  himself  up  for  ?  "  replied  the  warder. 

"Quite  so.  What  have  you  got  to  say  to  that  ?  "  asked 
the  governor. 

"All  I  know  is  that  I'm  an  undergraduate  of  St. 
Aldate's, '  answered  Harvey,  "  and  I  don't  understand 
being  treated  like  this  when  I  come  to  my  college.  Are 
you  the  dean  ?  " 

"  Dean  ! '  repeated  the  governor,  in  his  turn  surprised. 
"I'm  the  governor  of  Oxford  Castle — that's  the  gaol,  you 
know." 

"  Is  this  a  gaol? "  exclaimed  Harvey. 

"Have  I  not  told  you  so  ?    " 

"Then  I'm  sold.  It's  Jack's  doings,  and  I  don't  blame 
you,  sir,"  said  Harvey. 

"  Have  we  made  a  mistake?  Call  the  head  warder, 
who  knows  all  the  faces.  Make  haste  ! "  exclaimed  the 
governor. 

A  minute  or  more  elapsed,  and  the  head  warder 
appeared  with  a  book  of  photographs  in  his  hand. 

He  turned  over  the  leaves,  and  looked  carefully  at 
Harvey. 

"Have  you  got  a  strawberry  mark  upon  your  left 
wrist  ? "  he  asked. 

"No,  nor  never  had.  Look  for  yourself,"  replied 
Harvey,  baring  his  arm. 

"Then  you're  not  Chalvey.     It's  a  mistake." 

The  governor  looked  ashamed  of  himself. 

"  You're  sure  it's  not  Chalvey  ? "  he  said. 

"  Positive,  sir.  Chalvey  had  a  cast  in  his  right  eye,  in 
addition  to  the  mark." 

"  My  dear  young  sir,"  exclaimed  the  governor,  "  I  don't 
know  how  to  apologise  to  you  sufficiently.  Come  with 
me  to  my  apartments,  if  you  please.  We  must  talk  this 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  15 

matter  over,   and  I  will  myself  walk  up  to  St.  Aldate's 
College  with  you." 

"Thank  you,''  replied  Harvey. 

He  saw  now  that  Harkaway  had  been  playing  him  a 
trick,  and  was  rather  glad  to  get  out  of  the  cell. 

"  I'll  have  it  out  of  Jack,"  he  muttered. 

The  governor,  who  was  a  very  gentlemanly  man,  had 
a  long  conversation  with  Harvey,  and  laughed  heartily 
at  the  trick  his  friend  had  played  upon  him. 

He  pressed  him  to  have  a  glass  of  wine,  and  wished  to 
see  him  personally  to  the  college. 

This  Harvey  would  not  permit,  saying  he  was  sure  he 
could  find  his  way  now. 

"I   trust,"   said   the   governor,    "you   acquit   me   of 
blame." 

"Most  decidedly,  my  dear  sir,"  answered  Harvey. 
"  I  have  to  thank  you  for  releasing  me  so  soon." 

They  shook  hands,  and  the  warder  who  was  so  eager 
to  shut  him  up  a  short  time  before,  was  now  as  anxious 
to  civilly  show  him  the  way  out. 

Harvey  gave  him  a  shilling,  and  walked  up  the  street. 

At  the  door  of  a  small  tobacconist's  he  saw  Harkaway, 
placidly  purring  away  at  a  big  cigar. 

"Hullo,  Dick!"  exclaimed  Jack.  "You  don't  mean 
to  say  you  don't  like  your  new  quarters." 

"  You're  a  beast !  "  growled  Harvey. 

"What  for?" 

"Why,  to  sell  me  like  that ;  but  if  you  won't  tell  any- 
body, I'll  forgive  you." 

"Oh,  won't  I  ?"  replied  Jack.  "It's  too  good  fun  to 
be  lost.  What  did  they  do  with  you  ?  " 

"  Locked  me  up  till  the  governor  came,  and  then  I  soon 
squared  matters.  But  it  was  too  bad  of  you." 

"So  it  was,  dear  boy.  Have  a  weed,  and  be  jolly," 
said  Jack. 

Harvey  and  Jack  had  both  learned  to  smoke,  and  with 
cigars  in  their  mouths,  strolled  up  the  High  Street. 

"  This  is  what  we  call  doing  the  High,"  remarked  Jack. 

"Where  is  St.  Aldate? "  asked  Harvey. 

"A  little  way  down  the  street  of  the  same  name. 
Come  along  ;  don't  be  afraid  this  time." 

"  You  won't  sell  me  any  more  ?  " 

"Not  to-day.     I'll  promise  you  that,"  answered  Jack. 


I4  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

They  turned  under  an  archway,  and  entered  a  large 
square,  with  a  fountain  playing  in  the  centre. 

The  cathedral  was  at  his  back,  and  the  college  hall  to 
the  right  of  them  up  a  flight  of  steps. 

While  the  tower  over  the  gateway  held  a  great  bell 
known  as  Tom,  which  gave  it  the  name  of  the  Tom 
Tower. 

Passing  through  the  outer  quad,  they  came  to  an  inner 
one. 

"Here  we  are,"  said  Jack.  "My  room  forms  a  sky 
parlour.  Freshmen  must  put  up  with  what  they  can 
get." 

"Can't  you  have  lower  rooms  if  you  like?"  said 
Harvey. 

' '  Not  in  your  first  year.  You  can  change  after  you 
have  been  here  awhile,  as  other  fellows  change  or  leave. 
Come  to  my  room,  and  we  will  send  Monday  or  my 
scout  to  see  if  your  things  have  come." 

"What's  the  scout?" 

"Oh,  he's  a  great  institution.  He  is  my  servant,  and 
waits  upon  me  in  the  hall.  He  rejoices  in  the  pleasing 
name  of  Buster." 

"  Shall  I  have  the  same  scout  ?  " 

"No,  you're  on  another  staircase,  and  the  chances  are 
you  won't,"  replied  Jack. 

They  ascended  an  aged  staircase,  and  on  the  third 
story  stopped  at  a  heavy  wooden  door,  which  was  shut. 

"That's  my  oak,"  explained  Jack,  opening  it  with  a 
key. 

"Your  oak  ?  "  repeated  Harvey. 

"Yes.  There  is  an  inner  door,  and  when  you  are  out, 
or  don't  want  fellows  to  call  and  worry  you,  you  shut  the 
outer  one,  and  that  is  sporting  your  oak. " 

They  went  in,  and  Harvey  found  that  his  friend  had  a 
sitting-room  and  bedroom,  and  a  small  place  for  a  scout. 

The  apartments  were  elegantly  furnished,  and  Jack 
had,  with  some  taste,  arranged  his  spears  and  bows,  and 
other  savage  implements  round  the  walls. 

"I  should  think, "said  Harvey,  "Monday  must  feel 
himself  at  home  amongst  all  those  Pisang  and  Limbian 
trophies. " 

"Oh,  yes;  Monday's  an  immense  swell.  All  my 
friends  have  taken  kindly  to  him." 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 5 

There  was  a  knock  at  the  sitting-room  door. 

"Come  in,"  cried  Jack. 

A  being  of  middle  height,  fat,  sleek,  and  having  black 
as  the  prevailing  colour  of  his  garments,  entered 

"  Oh  !  it's  you,  Buster  ?  "  said  Jack  to  his  scout.  "  You 
have  just  come  in  time  to  get  out  some  glasses  and  wine." 

"Yes,  sir,"  replied  Buster,  with  a  bow.  "Is  this  Mr. 
Harvey,  sir,  of  whom  you  have  been  speaking,  and  if  I 
may  make  so  bold?" 

' '  You're  not  far  out. " 

"Being  Mr.  Harvey's  first  day  in  college,  I  suppose  he 
will  not  dine  in  hall,  sir.  Shall  I  order  you  a  little  feed 
at  the  '  Mitre '  or  the  '  Clarendon  ? '  Both  very  nice  hotels, 
sir;  or  there  is  the  'Randolph.'" 

' '  The  'Mitre '  will  do  ;  it  is  close,  too.  Order  some- 
thing at  four." 

"Cert'n'y,  sir,"  replied  the  scout,  using  a  favourite 
phrase  of  his. 

"And  I  say,  Buster,  can  you  tell  me  if  Mr.  Harvey's 
rooms  are  ready  for  him  ?  " 

' '  Yes,  sir  ;  the  rooms  is  ready.  The  scout,  which  his 
name  is  Clinker,  sir,  and  a  friend  of  mine,  has  seen  every- 
thing proper." 

' '  Very  well ;  you  can  go.  I  shall  not  want  anything 
more." 

"Begging  your  pardon,  sir,  there  is  one  thing  I  should 
like  to  speak  about." 

"Some  other  time.     Be  off,  now." 

"It's  a  matter  of  importance,  sir;  leastways  to  me," 
persisted  Buster. 

Jack  took  up  a  book  and  threw  it  at  the  retreating 
figure  of  the  scout,  who  had  darted  into  the  passage. 

"  You  won't,  won't  you  ?  "  he  muttered. 

The  irrepressible  Buster,  however,  was  not  so  easily 
got  rid  of,  and  hiding  himself  behind  a  door,  spoke  again. 

"It's  all  along  of  that  negro,  sir,  which  I  mean  the 
black  man,"  he  exclaimed. 

"What's  the  row  now?" 

"He's  been  a-cheeking  of  me,  sir." 

"  It's  very  odd  that  you  two  can't  agree." 

"  You,  sir,  may  say  what  you  like,"  replied  the  scout  ; 
"but  niggers,  leastways  negroes,  is  different,  and  I  can't 
abide  a  black  man  when  he  turns  cheeky." 


1 6  JACK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"Will  you  be  off,  or  not?"  cried  Jack,  taking  down  a 
long  spear  from  the  wall. 

"Cert'n'y,  sir,"  said  the  scout,  who  thought  it  about 
time  to  make  his  escape. 

"  What's  the  matter  between  him  and  Monday  ?  "  asked 
Harvey. 

"  Oh  !  they  can't  hit  it  at  all.  I  don't  know  how  it  is, 
but  I  think  one's  jealous  of  the  other.  Monday  hates 
Buster,"  replied  Jack. 

After  refreshing  the  inner  man,  they  proceeded  to 
Harvey's  rooms,  and  found  Mr.  Clinker,  the  scout,  busily 
engaged  in  unpacking  his  master's  portmanteaus. 

"Servant,  Mr.  Harkaway,"  he  exclaimed  ;  "and  yours, 
sir." 

"Are  you  my  scout  ?  "  asked  Harvey. 

"Yes,  sir;  name  of  Clinker,  which  Mr.  Buster  he 
knows  me  well.  Your  father,  sir,  came  down  last  week, 
and  told  me  to  order  all  that  you  would  want,  and  I  do 
'ope  you'll  be  satisfied." 

"Which  means  that  you've  bought  lots  of  things  he 
won't  want,"  replied  Jack,  "and  got  your  commission 
out  of  the  tradesmen,  who  are  awful  harpies  to  fresh- 
men." 

He  walked  about,  and  inspected  the  various  articles  in 
the  room. 

On  the  table  was  a  pile  of  tradesmen's  cards. 

"Chuck  all  these  in  the  fire,  Dick,"  he  exclaimed, 
"and  lock  up  your  spirits  and  your  wine." 

Clinker  smiled  a  ghastly  grin. 

"  You  think  you've  got  a  key  that  will  fit,  don't  you?  * 
continued  Jack.  "But  he  shall  order  a  patent  lock,  and 
then  where  will  you  find  yourself,  Mr.  Stinker  or  Clinker, 
whichever  your  name  is." 

"May  I  gasp  my  last,  sir,"  answered  the  scout,  "if 
I  ever  robbed  a  gentleman  of  so  much  as  a  ounce  of 
bacca. " 

"  You  may  take  your  affidavit  you  won't  have  the 
chance  with  us.  Put  your  master's  things  straight.  Mr. 
Harvey  will  come  with  me  until  his  place  is  fit  to  go 
into. " 

They  returned  to  Harkaway's  rooms,  where  they  found 
a  man  baiting  the  monkey  with  the  end  of  a  lighted 
cigar. 


JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  \  7 

He  was  tall  and  fair,  with  a  face  like  that  of  a  hand- 
some woman,  his  fair  moustache  having  scarcely  dawned 
upon  his  lips. 

His  dress  was  faultless,  though  a  little  loud,  but  his 
gentlemanly  manner  enabled  him  to  carry  that  off. 

"  How  do,  Dawson  ? "  cried  Jack.  "  My  friend  Harvey. 
Heard  me  talk  about  Harvey?  He  was  with  me  in  the 
China  seas.  Harvey,  you  must  know  Sir  Sydney  Dawson. " 

"Charmed,  I'm  sure,"  replied  Harvey. 

They  bowed  to  one  another. 

"  I've  been  badgering  your  monkey  till  he  is  as  wild 
as  a  hawk,"  exclaimed  the  baronet. 

"  Mind  Soapy  Sam  doesn't  get  the  best  of  you,"  replied 
Jack,  laughing. 

' '  Not  he  ;  I  am  up  to  his  dodges  now.  By  the  way, 
will  your  friend  Mr.  Harvey  come  to  my  wine  to-night  ? 
I  have  sent  you  an  invitation,  and  if  he  doesn't  mind  the 
short  notice " 

"Not  at  all,"  said  Harvey.  "It  is  my  first  day  in 
Oxford,  and  I  am  obliged  to  you  for  thinking  of  me." 

"  Very  well.     Do  you  dine  in  hall  ?  " 

"No,"  said  Jack  ;  "we  have  ordered  our  mutton  at  the 
'  Mitre.' " 

"Ah,  exactly, "  said  Sir  Sydney  with  a  yawn.  "The 
prodigality  of  freshmen  is  proverbial." 

He  was  in  his  second  year. 

"Now  look  here,  Dawson,  you  don't  dine  in  hall  more 
than  three  or  four  times  a  week,  because  you  area  gentle- 
man commoner,"  said  Jack,  laughing. 

"May  I  ask  what  that  is ? "  cried  Harvey. 

"Delighted  to  give  you  the  information,"  answered 
Sir  Sydney  Dawson.  "  I  have  the  misfortune  to  have  a 
handle  to  my  name,  and  to  be  the  heir  to  six  thousand  a 
year. " 

"Yes." 

"It  is  not  much,  but  it  is  something,  and  I  am  the 
prey  of  the  sharks  in  the  'varsity ;  I  wear  a  more  swell 
gown  than  you,  and  have  a  tuft  to  my  cap,  and  pay  double 
fees;  that's  all." 

Soapy  Sam  now  made  a  raid  upon  the  baronet's  cap, 
which  was  lying  on  the  table. 

"Sit  on  your  ape,  will  you,  Harkaway?"  said  the 
baronet 


1 8  JACK  HA RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"I  can't,"  replied  Jack,  throwing  something  at  the 
monkey. 

"I  wish  you  would,  just  to  oblige  me." 

"  You  rile  him  so.  I  saw  him  sneeze  just  now  when 
you  burnt  his  nose  with  the  end  of  your  weed." 

Soapy  Sam  rushed  to  the  top  of  the  bookcase,  which 
was  his  favourite  perch,  and  began  to  pick  the  tassel  of 
the  cap  to  pieces. 

"Now  I  shall  want  a  new  mortar-board,"  said  Sir 
Sydney.  "Never  mind  ;  I'll  send  in  the  bill  to  you,  and 
freshmen  have  always  plenty  of  money. " 

"Hanged  if  I  have,"  replied  Jack.  "My  father  cuts 
me  down  to  two  hundred  a-year. " 

' '  Quite  enough  too.     My  guardian  only  gives  me  that" 

"Really  !     How  do  you  manage ? " 

"  Borrow  what  I  want  and  go  tick.  It's  easy  enough," 
replied  Sir  Sydney. 

"I'd  rather  not  get  into  debt,  if  I  can  avoid  it,"  said 
Jack. 

"Well,  if  you  have  any  inclination  that  way,  all  I  can 
say  is  you  came  to  the  right  place  when  you  ran  up  to 
Oxford." 

Jack  was  about  to  reply,  when  Monday's  grinning  face 
appeared  in  the  doorway. 

"  Ah  !     Mast'  Harvey,  how  um  do,  sare,"  he  cried. 

"I'm  all  right,  thank  you,"  replied  Harvey.  "How 
do  you  like  Oxford?  " 

"  It  very  fine  place  ;  Monday  very  much  wonder  at  all 
he  see  in  England;  it  nearly  drive  him  mad.  Now  he 

fet  better,  only  he  not  like  that  scout  fellow,  Buster, 
last'  Jack  got  um  Monday,  what  him  want  with  that 
Buster?  Him  no  good." 

The  scout  had  been  listening  outside,  and  putting  his 
head  in  exclaimed,  as  he  shook  his  fist — 

"  You  black  thief!  It's  a  pity  you  didn't  stay  in  your 
own  country." 

"  I  can't  have  you  two  quarrelling  like  this,"  remarked 
Jack. 

"  What  does  he  want  to  call  me  out  of  my  name  for, 
sir,  behind  my  back  ? "  exclaimed  Buster.  "  Only  to  look 
at  him  gives  me  a  stomachache ;  he  looks  like  an  un- 
ripe plum." 

Jack  laughed,  as  did  the  others. 


/A  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  19 

"  Him  steal  um  brandy,  um  wines,  andum  sugar,  sare. 
Um  see  him  take,"  replied  Monday. 

"You  lying  black  thief!  "  exclaimed  Buster  ;  "I'll  have 
the  law  of  you. " 

"Get  out,"  cried  Jack  ;  "have  your  rows  outside.  Do 
you  hear  ?  Slope  !  " 

The  scout  retired,  grumbling  to  himself,  and  Monday 
buried  himself  in  a  cupboard. 

Presently  Tom  Garden  came  in. 

He  was  a  strong  and  powerfully-built  man,  just  the  sort 
of  wiry,  good-natured  fellow  to  become  the  popular 
captain  of  a  college  eight. 

Being  introduced  to  Harvey,  he  looked  round  and  saw 
some  soda  and  hock. 

"Ah,"  he  exclaimed,  "sock  and  hoda.  That  will  just 
do  for  me.  We  are  not  in  training  now  and  may  indulge, 
though  you'll  find  me  rather  strict,  Harkaway,  if  you 
come  into  the  St.  Aldate's  eight." 

"  Nothing  like  it,"  said  Jack. 

"You're  right  there.  I  mean  to  have  the  St.  Aldate's 
boat  at  the  head  of  the  river  next  year,  and  no  mistake 
about  it." 

' '  I'll  do  my  best  for  St.  Aldate's,  if  you'll  honour  me 
with  a  seat  in  the  tub." 

' '  Tub  !  "  cried  Garden,  indignantly.  ' '  She's  the  neatest 
craft  that  Salter  ever  put  in  the  water." 

"  I'm  not  a  boating  man,  and  don't  mean  to  be,"  ob- 
served Sir  Sydney;  "but  I  should  call  our  boat  the 
college  tub." 

"All  right,  call  it  the  college  tub,"  exclaimed  Garden, 
with  a  smile.  "  Pass  the  sock  and  hoda,  and  give  me  a 
pight  for  my  lipe." 

"I  wish  you  would  not  talk  in  that  absurd  way,"  ex- 
claimed Sir  Sydney  ;  "  it  takes  a  fellow  some  time  to  under- 
stand you.  You're  a  silly  buffoon,  Garden." 

"  What  am  I?  A  silly  buffoon?  That's  a  nice  thing 
to  call  a  man,"  replied  Garden,  laughing. 

"Are  you  coming  to  my  wine  to-night  ?  " 

"If  you're  decently  civil." 

"You  will  meet  Kemp  and  Hall,  and  a  lot  more  you 
know.  Jolly  fellows." 

"I  like  jolly  fellows,  so  I'll  come,"  answered  the 
captain  of  the  St.  Aldate's  eight. 


20  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Shortly  afterwards  the  party  broke  up  and  Jack  took 
Harvey  to  the  Mitre  Hotel,  where  they  had  what  he  called 
a  neat  little  feed. 

After  a  cup  of  coffee  and  a  cigarette,  they  proceeded  to 
Sir  Sydney  Dawson's  rooms,  where  his  guests  had  begun 
to  assemble. 

"You  will  find  it  rather  a  swell  crowd,"  remarked 
Jack, 

"All  right;  I  flatter  myself  I  know  how  to  behave," 
answered  Harvey. 


CHAPTER  III. 
JACK'S  FIRST  WINK, 

JACK  and  Harvey  were  shown  into  a  sumptuously- 
furnished  apartment,  upon  the  contents  of  which  money 
had  been  lavishly  expended. 

A  variety  of  wines  were  upon  the  table,  with  all  sorts 
of  biscuits  and  preserved  fruits. 

Olives,  however,  seemed  to  be  the  most  popular. 

A  box  of  cigars,  which  cost  four  guineas,  invited  the 
attention  of  smokers. 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson  had  perched  himself  on  the  back 
of  a  chair,  in  which  acrobatic  position  he  contrived  to 
balance  himself  with  considerable  skill,  and  not  without 
difficulty. 

"  Here  are  our  nautical  friends,"  he  exclaimed;  "but 
why  this  absence  of  nigger  and  monkey  ?  Send  for  them, 
Harkaway.  We  can't  get  on  at  all  without  our  nigger 
and  monkey.  Soapy  Sam  and  the  Black  Prince  are  neces- 
sary to  complete  our  happiness,  and  secure  the  harmony 
of  the  evening." 

"  I'll  see  about  it  presently,"  replied  Jack. 

He  walked  over  to  a  tall,  effeminate-looking  young  man, 
with  a  pale  complexion,  and  having  his  hair  parted  in  the 
middle. 

"  How  do,  Kemp?  "he  said. 

"  Ah,  how  do?  "  replied  Kemp,  with  a  peculiar  smile. 
"  Allow  me  to  introduce  you  to  my  friend,  Mr.  Frank 
Davis,  of  Singapore." 

Jack  stared  in  amazement. 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFQRD.  2 1 

Before  him  was  his  sworn  and  determined  enemy. 

Davis  had  told  him  that  he  was  going  to  England  to 
complete  his  education  at  a  univ«rsity. 

He  had  added  that  wherever  Jack  was,  he  would  still 
hate  him,  and  seek  for  his  revenge. 

Jack  little  expected  to  meet  him  so  soon. 

Nor  had  he  the  remotest  idea  that  he  would  come  across 
him  at  Oxford. 

That  it  was  Davis  of.  Singapore  he  had  no  doubt. 

He  had  lost  one  ear. 

Making  a  cold  and  distant  bow,  Davis  replied — 

"  Mr.  Harkaway  and  I  have  met  before." 

"  Really  !  "  exclaimed  Kemp.  "  I'm  glad  of  that. 
It's  such  a  nuisance  helping  fellows  to  talk.  Davis  is  not 
in  our  college.  He's  a  Merton  man,  but  I  daresay  you 
will  often  run  against  one  another." 

Davis  and  Jack  glared  at  each  other. 

It  was  an  unpleasant  meeting  for  both  of  them. 

Muttering  something  about  hoping  that  Mr.  Davis 
would  enjoy  life  at  the  university,  Jack  shuffled  away  to 
the  other  end  of  the  room. 

He  took  a  seat  near  Harvey. 

The  latter  was  drinking  claret,  but  Jack  drank  port  in 
tumblers. 

"  I  say,  old  fellow,"  exclaimed  Harvey,  "  aren't  you 
putting  it  on  rather  too  strong?  Stick  to  this  claret." 

"  I'm  upset,"  answered  Jack. 

"Why?" 

"  I  have  seen  Davis." 

"  Singapore  Davis  ?" 

' '  Yes. " 

"  The  man  with  one  ear?"  said  Harvey,  in  surprise. 

"  Yes,  my  enemy.  I  suppose  Hunston  will  turn  up 
next. " 

"  Where  is  he?" 

"  In  this  room.  He  has  come  over  to  England,  and  is 
at  Merton." 

"  That's  funny." 

"  I  tell  you,"  said  Jack,  "  I  don't  like  it.  Davis  is  with 
Kemp,  and  I  have  taken  a  strong  feeling  against  Kemp. 
They  are  friends,  and  they  will  get  up  something  for  me." 

"  Avoid  him  as  much  as  possible  ;  he  can't  do  you 
much  harm,"  answered  Harvey. 


22  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  I  will,  you  may  depend  upon  that,  though  I  can't 
forget  the  strong  cause  he  has  to  hate  me." 

While  Jack  was  talking,  Kemp  had,  at  Sir  Sydney 
Dawson's  request,  gone  to  Jack's  room  to  tell  Monday  to 
bring  the  monkey  over. 

"  And  look  here,  Monday,"  said  Kemp  ;  "there  is  half- 
a -crown  for  you." 

"Thank  um,  sare,"  replied  Monday. 

"  Don't  you  think  if  I  were  to  paint  your  face  a  little, 
it  would  make  you  look  prettier,"  continued  Kemp. 

"  Paint  um  face  ?     How  um  do  that,  sare?  " 

"  Oh  !  it  won't  hurt ;  it  will  wash  off  again.  You'll  be 
a  white  man  then.  It's  only  a  lark." 

On  a  table  was  a  box  of  colours,  with  brushes. 

Taking  one  of  the  latter,  Kemp  mixed  some  white  paint 
with  water. 

Monday  sat  in  a  chair,  and  allowed  his  face  to  be 
painted  white. 

The  effect  was  ludicrous  enough. 

Kemp  next  put  a  college  cap  on  the  monkey,  which 
Monday  carried  in  his  arm,  and  they  returned  to  Sir 
Sydney's  room. 

The  fun  was  growing  fast  and  furious. 

A  shout  of  laughter  greeted  the  entrance  of  Monday 
and  the  monkey. 

Kemp  tied  an  empty  wine-bottle  to  the  animal's  tail 
and  let  him  go. 

Soapy  Sam  rushed  up  a  bookcase,  on  the  lop  of  which 
was  some  valuable  china,  all  of  which  fell  down  with  a 
smash. 

The  monkey,  with  considerable  cleverness,  untied  the 
bottle,  and  threw  it  in  the  middle  of  the  table,  capsizing 
a  stand  of  figs. 

"  I  say,"  cried  Sir  Sydney,  "  this  is  too  bad.  Stop 
your  monkey's  tricks,  Harkaway." 

"  You  would  have  him,  and  you  must  put  up  with  him," 
answered  Jack. 

"  Where's  his  keeper  ?  Here  Monday,  Tuesday  1  What's 
your  name  ? "  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney. 

Monday  stepped  forward. 

"What  um  want,  sare?  "  he  said. 

"  You're  not  Monday.     He's  black,  and  you're  white." 

"  They  paint  um  face,  sare." 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  23 

"  Who  did  ?     Has  some  one  been  whitewashing  you  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Kemp,  him  do  it,  sare,"  replied  Monday. 

"  Well,  look  after  the  Bishop.  I  can't  have  all  my 
crockery  ruined." 

Monday  promised  to  do  his  best,  and  shook  his  fist  at 
Soapy  Sam,  who  retaliated  with  absurd  grimaces,  which, 
as  he  still  wore  the  college  cap,  made  every  one  who 
saw  him  burst  with  renewed  laughter. 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson  proposed  a  game  at  loo. 

There  were  a  dozen  or  fourteen  men  in  the  room,  and 
the  table  was  soon  cleared. 

About  nine  sat  down. 

Jack,  who  had  been  drinking  more  port  than  he  was 
accustomed  to,  sat  next  to  Kemp,  and,  there  being  a 
vacant  chair,  he  declared  that  the  monkey  should  play. 

"Nonsense!"  said  Kemp.  "Who  ever  heard  of  a 
monkey  playing  at  cards?" 

"  I  didn't  ask  you,"  replied  Jack.  "  I  am  Dawson's 
guest,  and  he  can  do  what  he  likes  in  his  own  place." 

"  Upon  my  word,  it  is  a  strange  proposal,"  said  Sir 
Sydney,  hesitatingly. 

"  He  can  pay  if  he  loses,  and  perhaps  that  is  more  than 
everyone  can,"  continued  Jack. 

"  Order,  gentlemen,"  said  Sir  Sydney,  adding — "  let 
the  Bishop  play." 

Jack  called  Soapy  Sam,  who  was  much  attached  to  his 
master  and  came  down  at  once. 

"  Here  ;  ^It  between  Kemp  and  me,"  said  Jack. 

The  monkey  gravely  took  his  seat. 

The  cards  were  dealt,  the  loo  being  limited  to  three-and- 
sixpence. 

Jack  looked  at  the  monkey's  cards,  and  turned  them  up 
for  him. 

Kemp  insisted  that  it  was  not  fair,  but  no  one  paid  any 
attention  to  him. 

It  was  a  novelty  for  a  monkey  to  play  cards,  and,  like 
overgrown  boys  as  they  were,  they  liked  anything  new. 

Besides,  Kemp  was  known  to  be  irritable,  and  they  were 
pleased  at  seeing  him  get  angry. 

As  the  game  progressed,  Kemp  was  very  lucky  in 
turning  up  kings  and  aces,  and  won  largely. 

The  seventh  round  was  a  general  loo. 

Kemp  had  one  hand  on  the   table,    and  the  monkey 


24  JACK  ft  A  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

suddenly,  making  a  great  chattering,  put  his  paws  on 
Kemp's  hand. 

"  Call  the  brute  off,"  exclaimed  Kemp,  turning  very 
pale. 

"Lift  up  your  hand,  and  he  won't  hurt  you,"  exclaimed 
Jack. 

"I  can't." 

"  Rot !  "  said  Jack,  pulling  his  arm  on  one  side. 

On  the  table  was  an  ace. 

"  Hullo  !  "  cried  Sir  Sydney,  gravely. 

"The  beast  must  have  put  it  there,"  said  Kemp,  in 
confusion;  "that's  the  worst  of  having  a  monkey  by 
ones  side  ;  they  are  always  playing  some  tricks  or  other." 

Jack  whistled. 

"  Do  you  think  I  cheat  ? "  asked  Kemp  savagely. 

"  No,"  replied  Sir  Sydney  ;  "we  don't  say  that ;  go  on. 
It  looks  funny,  that's  all." 

"  I'll  not  play  another  card,  unless  the  brute  is  re- 
moved. " 

Jack  was  very  grave,  and  calling  Monday,  he  told  him 
to  take  the  Bishop  home. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  "  you've  nothing  to  grumble  at,  Mr. 
Kemp.  I  am  by  your  side,  and  the  monkey  is  gone." 

' '  That's  right.     Whose  deal  is  it  ?  "  asked  Kemp. 

The  game  proceeded. 

It  was  remarked  for  a  time  the  Kemp's  luck  deserted 
him. 

After  a  while,  however,  it  came  back  4%ain,  and  he 
swept  the  stakes  towards  him  with  irritating  frequency. 

Without  seeming  to  do  so,  Jack  watched  him  with  the 
eye  of  an  hawk. 

The  players  were  getting  excited. 

"Club  law,  knock  in,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney. 

Every  one  played  carefully  and  in  silence. 

All  at  once,  Jack,  whose  face  was  flushed,  and  who 
trembled  with  excitement,  seized  a  sharp  two-pronged 
silver  fruit  fork. 

Kemp's  hand  was  on  the  table,  as  it  had  been  when 
the  monkey  pounced  upon  him. 

Before  him  were  three  cards,  one  of  which  he  had 
turned. 

Clubs  were  trumps,  and  he  had  taken  miss. 

In  an  instant  Jack  dashed  down   the  fork,    which  ran 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD,  25 

through  the  back  of  Kemp's  hand,  and,  entering  the  wood, 
pinned  him  to  the  table. 

A  yell  of  pain  broke  from  him. 

This  was  followed  by  a  cry  of  surprise  and  horror. 

Every  one  sprang  to  his  feet. 

"What  have  you  done ?  "  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney. 

"I  saw  him  cheating  ;  and  if  the  ace  of  clubs  is  not 
found  under  his  hand,  I  will  forfeit  a  hundred  pounds  !  " 

The  men  crowded  round  Kemp. 

The  wretched  man  was  writhing  in  agony,  and  the  red 
blood  oozed  up  from  his  wound. 

"Lookout,  all  of  you,"  said  Jack.  "He  can't  say  it 
was  the  monkey  this  time  !  " 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson  with  some  difficulty  extricated  the 
fork. 

When  it  was  removed,  and  the  bleeding  hand  lifted  up, 
Ihere  was  the  ace  of  clubs. 

Kemp  had  evidently  taken  it  from  the  pack  when 
ihuffling. 

The  prongs  of  the  fork  had  gone  through  it,  so  that 
{here  could  not  possibly  be  any  mistake. 

Kemp  wrapped  his  hand  in  his  handkerchief. 

"Well,  gentlemen,  are  you  satisfied?"  asked  Jack. 

It  is  a  horrible  thing  among  gentlemen  for  one  of  their 
mmber  to  be  caught  cheating  at  cards. 

"  If  Mr.  Kemp  can  give  any  explanation  of  what  has 
occurred,  I  for  one,  shall  be  glad  to  hear  him,"  replied 
Sir  Sydney. 

"And  I  also,"  remarked  Tom  Garden. 

So  also  said  half  a  dozen  others. 

Kemp  remained  obstinately  silent 

"  Have  you  nothing  to  say  ?  "  cried  Sir  Sydney. 

With  his  unhurt  hand,  Kemp  turned  all  the  money  he 
nad  won  out  of  his  pockets  on  to  the  table. 

"If  you  think  I  cheated,"  he  exclaimed,  "there  is 
the  money,  and  something  more ;  divide  it  amongst 
you." 

"  But  the  card.  How  did  you  come  to  have  one  more 
than  you  were  entitled  to,  and  an  ace  into  the 
bargain  ? " 

"It's  my  belief,  Mr.  Harkaway  put  it  there,"  replied 
Kemp. 

"That  is  too  ridiculous,"  said  Harvey. 


26  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"I  don't  know.  He  has  been  among  savages,  and  I 
have  heard,  from  Mr.  Davis,  of  strange  things  he  did  in 
Singapore. " 

Jack  was  about  to  make  an  indignant  answer. 

"Don't  speak;  leave  it  all  to  me,"  said  Sir  Sydney 
Dawson. 

"If you  wish  it " 

"I  do.  You,  Mr.  Kemp,  have  been  clearly  bowled  out, 
and  can  give  no  satisfactory  explanation  for  your  conduct, 
which  you  make  worse  by  accusing  a  man  of  honour. 
All  that  remains  for  me  to  do  now  is  to  request  you  to 
leave  my  rooms,  and  be  good  enough  never  to  enter  them 
again. " 

At  this  decision  of  Sir  Sydney  Dawson's  Kemp  became 
livid. 

He  looked  round  him,  and  for  a  moment  it  did  not 
seem  that  he  had  a  friend  in  the  room. 

He  was  mistaken. 

Frank  Davis  approached. 

''•  Let  me  give  you  my  arm,"  he  said  ;  "  you  must  see  a 
doctor." 

They  walked  away  together  in  silence. 

It  was  not  until  they  were  gone  that  those  who  re- 
mained ventured  to  speak 


CHAPTER  IV. 

MR.    SCRAPER   GETS   SCREWED   UP. 

"  RASCALLY  thing  to  do,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 

"  Beastly  !  infamous  !  "  remarked  Fabian  Hall. 

' '  No  doubt  of  it.  Clear  as  a  pikestaff, "  exclaimed 
Harvey. 

"  I  shall  cut  the  man  dead  whenever  I  meet  him," 
observed  Tom  Garden. 

"  Serve  him  right,  too,"  exclaimed  Jack  ;  adding,  "  was 
I  right  in  what  I  did?  " 

"Certainly,"  answered  Sir  Sydney. 

" The  Bishop  put  me  up  to  it  first  of  all,"  continued 
Jack.  "He  saw  Mr.  Kemp  palming  the  cards,  and 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  2  7 

thought  that  he  wanted  to  have  a  lark  with  him.  I 
knew  Soapy  Sam  was  right  in  what  he  did,  and  I  was 
"»nly  waiting  for  a  chance  to  drop  down  on  Kemp  like  a 
nundred  of  bricks." 

"Well,  he's  knocked  into  a  three-cornered  hat  now," 
said  Sir  Sydney. 

"I  hope  you  are  not  put  out  on  my  account,  "said  Jack. 
"  I  am  the  last  man  in  the  world  to  get  up  any  un- 
pleasantness in  another  fellow's  rooms,  but  I  can't  stand 
cheating  at  cards." 

"No  one  blames  you,"  said  Garden.  "Let  me  make  a 
campagne  chup." 

"  Not  a  bad  idea,"  said  Harvey. 

While  the  champagne  cup  was  brewing,  Jack  related 
how  he  had  once,  on  board  ship,  seen  a  midshipman 
cobbed  within  an  inch  of  his  life  for  cheating. 

The  wine  circulated,  and  every  one  began  to  get  very 
merry. 

"I  can't  play  any  more  after  what  has  occurred," 
replied  Dawson.  "What  shall  we  do?" 

"Go  and  screw  Scraper  up,"  said  an  undergraduate  in 
his  second  year. 

"Splendid!"  replied  Sir  Sydney  Dawson.  "Get  a 
hammer  and  gimlet  and  some  screws." 

They  were  all  excited  by  wine. 

Mr.  Scraper  was  an  unpopular  tutor,  and  they  did  not 
care  for  consequences. 

"Good-night,"  said  Fabian  Hall  to  Jack. 

"Are  you  off?" 

"Yes.  I'm  a  reading  man,  and  have  my  way  to  make 
in  the  world,  you  know." 

"Well,  what  of  that  ?" 

"  Oh  !  I  know  how  these  things  end,  and  I  don't  want 
to  be  rusticated." 

"What's  that?" 

"Why,  sent  away   for  a  year,"  replied  Hall. 

"  Is  anything  likely  to  happen  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"Of  course;  the  dean  may  come  out.  The  college 
authorities  stand  a  good  deal,  but  St.  Aldate's  has  been 
going  ahead  a  little  too  much  lately." 

"Well,  good-night,  if  you  won't  stop." 

Hall  went  away  and  Jack  followed  the  others  into  the 
quad 


28  JACK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Mr.  Scraper  had  rooms  on  the  ground  floor,  and  his 
door  was  soon  screwed  up,  so  that  it  was  impossible  to 
open  it. 

Then  the  men  went  into  the  quad,  and  called  out 
"  Fire  !  "  throwing  stones  at  the  windows. 

At  length  Mr.  Scraper  woke  up,  and  rinding  he  could 
not  get  out,  looked  from  one  of  his  windows  at  the  tur- 
bulent crowd  below. 

He  was  in  his  nightcap. 

A  storm  of  laughter  greeted  him. 

Some  were  playing  at  leapfrog,  others  singing  scraps 
of  songs,  and  the  greatest  confusion  prevailed  every- 
where. 

A  friend  of  Dawson's  who  was  a  Brasenose  man,  sank 
on  his  knees,  overcome  by  wine,  and  began  to  recite  a 
portion  of  Demosthenes'  oration  on  the  crown. 

Dawson  took  him  up  in  his  arms,  and  carried  him  to 
the  outer  quad. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  with  him? "  asked  Jack. 

"Put  him  in  the  fountain;  he  isn't  well,"  answered 
Sir  Sydney. 

"  A  bath  will  cool  him  ;  very  thoughtful  of  you." 

"Isn't  it  ?     Take  his  legs  ;  he's  heavy." 

Jack  took  the  Brasenose  man's  legs  and  carried  him  to 
the  fountain,  where  they  deposited  him  in  the  water,  his 
head  leaning  gracefully  against  the  side. 

Then  they  returned  to  their  own  quadrangle. 

Mr.  Scraper  was  uttering  loud  cries,  firmly  believing 
that  a  dreadful  fire  was  raging  somewhere. 

The  dean  heard  the  noise,  and  summoning  two  tutors, 
went  with  the  porter,  carrying  a  lantern,  to  the  scene  of 
the  disturbance. 

'  What  is  the  matter,  Mr.  Scraper  ?  "  asked  the  dean. 
'  I  am  screwed  up,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Scraper. 
'  Really,  this  is  very  disgraceful. " 
'Can  you  tell  me  if  there  is  a  fire?  " 
'  Certainly  not ;  no  suspicion  of  anything  of  the  sort," 
answered  the  dean. 

"Oh  !  thank  you.  I  will  retire  to  rest  again,  though  I 
should  like  to  see  the  authors  of  the  outrage  perpetrated 
upon  me  properly  punished. " 

"It  shall  be  done,"  said  the  dean. 

Just  as  Jack  and  Sir  Sydney   returned,   they  saw   the 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  2( 

dean  and  his  tutors  rushing  up  a  staircase  after  Ton. 
Garden  and  Harvey. 

"  Better  slope,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 

"Stop  a  bit,"  cried  Jack;  "I  want  to  see  the  £UR 
out." 

And  he  sent  another  stone  through  Mr.  Scraper's 
window. 

"  Well,  I'm  off.  I've  been  in  lots  of  rows,  but  I  never 
stop  to  be  nailed,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 

"  Wait  for  me." 

' '  Not  I.  If  you  won't  come,  you  must  take  the  con- 
sequences." 

Sir  Sydney  ran  off,  and  Jack  was  left  standing  alone. 

The  dean  had  been  unable  to  catch  anyone,  and  he 
knocked  at  the  door  of  a  man  who  was  going  up  for  the 
examination  called  "greats." 

Now,  when  a  man  is  reading  hard  for  his  "greats," 
with  a  wet  towel  bound  round  his  forehead,  and  drinking 
nothing  but  green  tea  he  doesn't  like  a  noise  in  the  quad. 

It  very  naturally  riles  him  to  hear  rows  going  on. 

Thinking  that  the  rioters  among  the  fast  set  were  com- 
ing to  worry  him,  he  took  up  a  pail  full  of  dirty  water. 

Opening  his  door,  he  unceremoniously  emptied  it  over 
the  head  of  the  dean. 

Rushing  towards  him,  the  dean  exclaimed — 

"How  dare  you,  sir?" 

Splutter  !  splutter ! 

"What's  the  meaning  of  this  extraordinary  conduct, 
sir  ?  Do  you  know  who  I  am  ? " 

Recognising  the  dean  the  reading  man  explained  and 
apologised. 

Clean  towels  were  offered  and  accepted. 

The  dean  and  his  satellites  descended  the  staircase. 

His  temper  was  not  improved  by  a  bath  of  dirty  water. 

A  dark  frown  -had  settled  on  the  classic  brow  of  the 
dean  of  St.  Aldate's. 

He  had  been  roused,  defied,  insulted. 

What  he  wanted  now,  was  a  victim  upon  whom  to  pour 
out  the  vial  of  his  wrath. 

Jack  was  the  only  man  left  in  the  quad. 

He  was  standing  on  the  gravel,  and  enjoying  himself 
in  taking  cool  shots  with  pebbles  at  Mr.  Scraper's 
windows. 


30  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

A  slight  smash  announced  that  a  graceful  hole  was 
made. 

"  Hit  it  again,  "said  Jack.  "My  practice  is  improving. 
Wonder  where  Scraper  is  ?  Fire  !  fire  !  " 

The  dean  bore  down  upon  him  with  academic  ire. 

"Your  name  and  college,  sir?"  said  the  dean,  firmly. 

Jack  turned  round  in  a  half  tipsy  manner,  and  sur- 
veyed the  head  of  his  college  blandly. 

"Ah  !  pardon  me,  I  haven't  the  honour,"  he  replied. 

"Sir  !  "  cried  the  dean. 

"  I  never  talk  to  people  unless  I'm  introduced" 

"I  am  the  dean  of  St.  Aldate's,  sir." 

"Indeed?"  said  Jack,  coolly  throwing  another  stone 
at  Mr.  Scraper's  doomed  windows.  "Very  inconvenient 
time  to  call  upon  a  man.  Can't  you  come  to-morrow?  " 

"Are  you  aware  what  you  are  doing?  "  thundered  the 
dean. 

"Oh,  perfectly.  I  am  thoroughly  compos  mentis,  and 
engaged  in  a  work  of  charity. " 

"Work  of  what?" 

"Charity,  my  dear  sir,  charity,  which  we  have  high 
authority  for  believing  covers  a  multitude  of  sins." 

"Perhaps  you  will  explain  yourself  further,  Mr. " 

"Harkaway,  of  St.   Aldate's." 

"A  freshman,  I  think?" 

"Well,  sir;  I  must  admit,  I  am  a  little  fresh  to-night. 
My  first  wine  you  see,  Mr.  Dean,"  said  Jack. 

"And  this  work  of  charity? "  said  the  dean,  who  could 
not  help  smiling. 

"  Ah  !  exactly,  I  had  forgotten." 

Another  stone  rattled  against  the  tutor's  window. 

"An  obstinate  and  misguided  man,  rejoicing,  I  believe, 
in  the  came  of  Scraper — S  era  p — no,  Scraper,  Scraper, 
I  like  to  be  precise,  sir — lives  in  those  rooms. " 

"Well?  " 

"Some  gentlemen  of  this  college  have  foolishly 
screwed  him  up,  sir ;  his  oak  is  hermitcally — metically, 
I  mean — sealed,  and  as  I  am  informed  that  the  college 
has  been  set  on  fire  in  three  places,  it  follows  that  the 
wretched  creature  will  be  burnt  to  death. " 

"I  see  no  smoke,"  replied  the  dean. 

"Fact,  I  assure  you.  If  the  flames  have  not  burst 
forth,  they  are  sm-smouldering. " 


/A CK  HARKA WAY  AT  OXFORD  31 

"Go  to  your  room,  Mr.  Harkaway,  and  oblige  me 
<vith  a  visit  to-morrow  morning,"  replied  the  dean. 

"Thank  you,  I  breakfast  with  a  friend  ;  fried  gudgeon 
at  ten.  I  shall  shirk  chapel.  Say  the  afternoon,  and  I'll 
drive  you  over  to  Sandford,"  replied  Jack. 

"You're  not  master  of  yourself,  young  gentleman," 
said  the  dean,  severely. 

"  Beg  your  pardon,"  exclaimed  Jack.  "I'm  all  there 
at  this  moment,  and  could  twist  your  arm  into  a  Spanish 
fox,  and  every  hair  in  your  head  should  bristle  like  rope 
yarn.  I  haven't  been  three  years  and  thirty-six  months 
at  sea  for  nothing." 

"Porter,"  cried  the  dean.  "  See  Mr.  Harkaway  to  his 
rooms." 

"Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  porter,  holding  his  lantern  near 
Jack. 

The  dean  with  his  attendant  tutor  moved  away  ;  the  dis- 
turbance having  quieted  itself  rather  than  been  put  down. 

"Don't  go,  old  fla,"  said  Jack. 

The  dean  stalked  along  in  dignif.ed  silence. 

"Well,  if  you  must  go,  you  must.  Good-night,  old 
cock  ;  and  when  next  I  crook  my  elbow,  I'll  wish  you 
luck. " 

The  porter  was  greatly  scandalised. 

"  It's  the  dean,  sir;  you  mustn't  do  it,"  he  said,  in  a 
tone  of  remonstrance. 

"  But  I've  done  it.  It's  only  my  playful  way,"  replied 
Jack. 

With  the  porter's  assistance,  he  regained  his  rooms, 
and  telling  him  if  he  called  in  the  morning  he  would 
give  him  something,  he  entered. 

A  lamp  was  alight  on  the  table,  and  by  its  light  he 
undressed,  and  was  soon  fast  asleep. 


CHAPTER  V. 

JACK    IS     "GATED." 

AT  about  nine  o'clock  the  next  morning,  Jack's  scout 
stood  by  his  bedside  with  a  long  glass  containing  some- 
thing of  an  effervescing  nature. 


32  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"Copper  hot,  sir?  "  said  the  scout,  with  a  grin. 

"  What  the  deuce  has  that  to  do  with  you?"  replied 
Jack,  waking  up. 

"Nothing  much,  sir;  young  gents  often  get  hot 
coppers  after  a  wine." 

"  What's  that  in  your  hand  ?  " 

"  S  and  B,  sir." 

"Ah  !     Soda  and  Brandy.     Give  it  here." 

Jack  drank  the  refreshing  draught 

He  was  not  at  all  well ;  his  head  ached,  and  his 
mouth  was  parched  and  dry. 

"What's  the  time  ? "  he  asked. 

"  Gone  nine,  sir." 

"  Then  I'm  too  late  for  chapel." 

"They  say  you  carried  on  last  night,  sir,"  said  the 
scout;  "and  you've  got  to  go  before  the  dean,  for 
screwing  of  Mr.  Scraper's  door  up,  and  then  chucking  of 
stones  at  him  in  his  night-cap.'' 

"I  have  a  dim  recollection  of  meeting  the  dean," 
replied  Jack.  "What  an  ass  I  made  of  myself." 

"  Have  any  breakfast,  sir?" 

"  Yes,  fried  soles,  eels  or  gudgeon  ;  anything  you  can 
get  that's  light. " 

Buster  nodded,  and  in  half-an-hour  Jack  had  a  good 
breakfast,  washed  down  with  some  of  the  buttery  ale. 

He  sported  his  oak,  and  would  see  nobody. 

At  eleven  he  dressed  and  went  to  the  dean's  house, 
feeling  rather  uncomfortable. 

The  dean  was  a  good-natured  looking,  gentlemanly 
man,  and  asked  his  visitor  to  sit  down,  as  he  wished  to 
speak  to  him. 

Jack  did  so. 

"  Does  it  not  occur  to  you,  Mr.  Harkaway,  that  you 
are  making  a  bad  beginning,  having  been  up  so  short  a 
time  ?  "  he  said. 

' '  Yes,  sir. " 

"That's  candid,  at  all  events.  lam  not  disposed  to 
be  very  angry  with  you,  but  I  must  mark  my  sense  of 
displeasure  at  your  conduct." 

There  was  a  pause. 

"  I  promise  you  I  will  not  be  so  foolish  again,  sir," 
said  Jack. 

"You  will  consider  yourself  confined  to  your  college 


JACK  HARKA WAY  AT  OXFORD.  33 

for  one  week,  and  I  hope  you  will  remember  your 
promise.  Had  you  been  in  your  second  year,  I  should 
most  certainly  have  sent  you  down  to  your  friends  for 
some  time.  Go  ;  and  be  wise  in  time." 

Jack  was  glad  to  get  off  so  easily. 

He  returned  to  his  rooms,  where  he  found  Sir  Sydney 
Dawson,  Harvey  and  Garden. 

"Well?"  said  Sir  Sydney.  "You  have  been  hauled 
up  before  the  dean,  I  hear. " 

"Yes,"  replied  Jack;   "  and  it's  all  your  fault." 

"Why  didn't  you  run  when  I  did?" 

"Because  I  didn't  choose  to  1 " 

"Don't  get  riled,  old  man,"  said  Sir  Sydney.  "What 
have  they  done  to  you  ?  " 

"Gated  me  for  a  week." 

"  That  won't  kill  you." 

"No,  I  don't  suppose  it  will.  But  it  is  a  bad  start, 
and  I'm  rather  ashamed  of  it,"  said  Jack. 

Finding  he  was  not  in  a  good  humour,  Sir  Sydney  and 
Garden  took  their  leave. 

When  he  was  alone  with  Harvey,  Jack  said — 

"I  shall  make  use  of  my  time  and  pitch  in  to  the 
fourth  book  of  Euclid." 

Harvey  did  not  stop  long. 

He  had  a  lecture  to  attend,  and  had  promised  Garden 
to  go  down  in  the  eight 

A  week  passes  slowly  when  one  is  confined  to  a 
certain  spot,  and  after  Jack  had  been  in  college  three 
days  he  got  tired. 

Sir  Sydney  invited  him  to  drive  over  to  Blenheim  with 
him  in  his  tandem. 

Jack  wanted  to  know  how  he  could  get  out,  and  was 
told  that  half-a-sovereign  given  to  the  porter  would  make 
that  functionary  shut  his  eyes. 

After  some  deliberation  Jack  consented  to  go. 

He  had  a  strong  wish  to  see  Woodstock  and  Blenheim, 
and  he  got  out  of  college  with  Sir  Sydney. 

The  tandem  was  waiting  for  them  a  little  way  over  the 
bridge,  near  Magdalen  College,  and  not  far  from  a  small 
tavern,  past  the  turnpike,  called  the  "  Cape  of  Good 
Hope." 

They    mounted  and   started   at  a  spanking   pace   foi 
Blenheim. 
3 


34  JACK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Here  they  passed  a  few  hours  very  agreeably,  anJ 
turned  to  go  home. 

About  a  mile  from  Oxford,  they  met  Harvey,  who  had 
been  running  up  the  road. 

Sir  Sydney,  who  was  a  splendid  whip,  instantly  pulled 
up  his  team. 

"Are  you  in  training  for  a  mile  race?"  he  asked, 
seeing  Harvey  was  out  of  breath. 

"No,"  said  Harvey.  "I  have  come  to  war-n  Hark- 
away.  " 

"About  what  ? " 

"Kemp  and  Davis  have  been  to  the  dean,  and  told 
him  that  Harkaway  is  out  of  college." 

"The  beasts  !  "  said  Jack,  in  a  tone  of  disgust. 

"That's  awkward,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney.  "What  is 
to  be  done  ?  " 

"I've  arranged  it  all.  Both  gates  are  guarded,  and 
it  is  impossible  to  get  in  that  way  ;  but  Fabian  Hall's 
windows  are  on  the  first  floor,  and  look  into  the  street. 
He  has  promised  to  wait  with  a  tablecloth,  and  haul 
him  up." 

"That  will  do,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 

' '  Jack  must  get  back  to  his  rooms,  put  on  a  dressing- 
gown,  and  shove  his  feet  into  a  tub  of  hot  water,  and 
swear  he  has  a  cold.  The  water  is  all  ready  for  him, 
and  Monday  has  got  a  candle  for  him  to  tallow  his  nose 
with. " 

"Bravo,  Dick!"  exclaimed  Jack:  "you  are  some 
thing  like  a  friend." 

"  Hang  on  behind,"  said  Sir  Sydney  ;  "I'll  soon  trot 
you  back  to  college." 

Harvey  jumped  up,  and  in  five  minutes  he  and  Jack 
were  walking  over  the  bridge,  while  Sir  Sydney  took  the 
horses  back  to  the  stables. 

They  managed  to  reach  Fabian  Hall's  rooms,  which 
Jack  entered  with  some  little  difficulty. 

Then  he  regained  his  own  room  without  being  ob- 
served, put  on  a  dressing-gown,  and  inserted  his  feet  in 
hot  water. 

Half-an-hour  afterwards  Sir  Sydney  Dawson  passed 
through  the  gate,  humming  a  tune. 

The  dean  was  standing  near  the  porter's  lodge,  and  at 
once  stopped  him. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  35 

Sir  Sidney  lifted  his  cap. 

"Where  is  your  companion  ?"  inquired  the  dean. 

' '  Who  do  you  mean,  sir  ?  "  asked  the  baronet,  care- 
lessly. 

"  Mr.  Harkaway,  whom  I  have  confined  to  his  college 
for  a  week. " 

"  In  his  room,  I  should  think,  sir.  He  had  a  violent 
attack  of  influenza  this  morning,  and  I  should  think  it 
highly  improbable  he  had  ventured  out." 

"Indeed  !     I  will  visit  him." 

The  dean,  in  some  confusion,  went  to  Jack's  room,  and 
was  instantly  admitted. 

The  dean  was  considerably  surprised  to  see  Harkaway, 
apparently  in  all  the  agonies  of  a  bad  cold. 

"Oh,  excuse  me,"  he  exclaimed  ;  "I  understood  that 
you  had  disobeyed  my  orders." 

"In  what  way,  sir?"  inquired  Jack. 

"  By  quitting  your  college." 

"In  my  present  state,  I  am  scarcely  likely  to  be  so 
rash,"  replied  Jack,  adding,  "Monday,  bring  me  my 
candle;  I  must  tallow  my  nose." 

"  Dear  me  !  You  are  very  unwell ;  you  have  lost  your 
voice.  I  can  see  that  my  informants  have  either  deceived 
me  or  themselves.  Pardon  my  intrusion.  I  wish  you 
better." 

The  dean  bowed,  and  so  did  Jack. 

When  the  door  closed,  Jack  called  Monday. 

"Is  he  gone  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Him  gone.     All  right,  sare,"  replied  the  black. 

"Take  this  confounded  bath  away;  then  bring  me  a 
mug  of  beer  from  the  butler,  and  hand  me  that  box  of 
Partagas. " 

With  a  cigar  in  his  mouth,  and  one  of  his  legs  thrown 
over  the  arm  of  his  chair,  and  a  smoking-cap  set  jauntily 
on  his  head,  Jack  looked  a  very  different  person  from  the 
one  the  dean  had  seen,  in  the  last  stage  of  assumed 
influenza. 

Harvey  came  in  soon  afterwards,  and  said,  with  a 
smile — 

"You  were  not  long  getting  in  form." 

"I've  sold  the  dean,"  replied  Jack. 

"  How  did  he  look  ?  " 

"  Floored.     I  was  so  much  like  the  real  thing  when  in 


36  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

the   bath,  that  he  was  a  settled   member   directly,   and 
apologised. " 

"I'm  glad  of  that.  If  you  had  been  bowled  out  it 
would  have  been  rather  a  serious  thing. " 

"So  it  would;  and  I  know  now  what  to  expect  from 
Messrs.  Kemp  and  Davis,"  said  Jack. 

"They  are  both  full  against  you,  and  any  dirty  trick 
they  can  play  you  they  will,"  replied  Harvey. 

"  Let  them.  I  have  cultivated  a  sort  of  mental  gym- 
nastics, which  enables  me  to  throw  care  off  my  mind. 
You  can't  always  be  eighteen  and  in  your  first  year  at 
Oxford,"  cried  Jack. 

' '  No  more  you  can  ;  there  is  nothing  like  being  jolly. " 
The  remainder  of  the  time  during  which  Jack  was  con- 
fined to  college  passed  rapidly. 

He  remembered  his  first  wine,  and  took  care  not  to 
drink  too  much  again. 

Towards  the  end  of  November,  the  news  ran  through 
the  college  that  there  was  to  be  a  fair  in  a  field  outside 
the  town. 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson  never  lost  anything  of  the  sort. 
He  asked  Jack  to  go  down  with  him  and  see  the  fun. 
Jack    agreed   to  do  so,   and,   with   Harvey   and   Tom 
Garden,  they  made  a  party  of  four. 

Fabian  Hall,  who  heard  of  their  intention,  came  to 
Jack's  rooms. 

He  had  taken  quite  a  fancy  to  our  hero,  and  his  cau- 
tion, common  sense,  and  experience  were  often  of  much 
use  to  him. 

'  So  you  are  going  to  the  fair  ? "  he  said. 
'  Yes.     Why  not  ?  "  replied  Jack. 
'I  suppose  you  think  you  will  see  some  fun?  " 
'  No  doubt. " 

'That  isn't  what  Dawson 's  going  for." 
Isn't  it  ?     What  then  ?  " 
'  He  is  going  for  a  row." 

'  All  the  better,"  exclaimed  Jack.      "  I  like  rows." 
'Did  you  ever  hear  of  town  and  gown  at  Oxford?" 
asked  Fabian. 

"Do  you  mean  a  stand-up  fight  between  the  towns- 
men, tha't's  the  cads,  bargees,  etc..  and  the  gentlemen  or 
gownsmen,  that's  ourselves  ?" 
"  Precisely." 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  3  7 

"Well,  what  harm  is  there  in  that?" 

"A  good  deal,  perhaps,  if  the  proctor  and  his  bulldogs 
catch  you,"  replied  Fabian. 

"Who  is  the  proctor?"  asked  Jack,  who  had  very 
vague  ideas  respecting  this  important  personage  in  the 
university. 

"  He  is  very  much  like  an  adjutant  in  a  regiment.  He 
is  the  head  constable  of  the  'varsity,  and  his  marshals,  or, 
as  we  call  them,  bulldogs,  are  the  police." 

"Well,  we  must  dodge  him,  that's  all." 

"  It  won't  be  very  pleasant,  I  can  tell  you,  if  you  are 
collared,  and  the  proctor  exclaims — 'Your  names  and 
college,  gentlemen  ? '  You  have  been  before  the  dean 
once,  you  know." 

"  Don't  croak  ;  I'm  going  to  the  fair.  Come  with  us  ?  " 
said  Jack. 

"Not  I,"  replied  Fabian  Hall.  "I'm  positive  Dawson 
will  kick  up  a  shindy,  and  the  town  hates  us  so,  they  only 
want  an  excuse  to  pitch  in." 

"  I  can  mill  a  bargee,  and  as  to  a  counter-jumper,  why, 
I'd  soon  polish  him  off,"  said' Jack,  contemptuously. 

"That's  what  most  fellows  say  till  they  find  out  their 
mistake,"  answered  Fabian. 

In  spite  of  this  warning,  Jack  persisted  in  his  determi- 
nation to  go. 

The  bare  idea  of  a  fight  between  town  and  gown  was 
delightful. 

"  Dawson  is  a  brick,"  he  said  to  himself,  "and  I'll  stick 
to  him  through  thick  and  thin." 

It  was  in  this  state  of  mind  that  he,  with  Sir  Sydney, 
Harvey,  and  Tom  Garden,  started  for  the  fair. 

They  had  just  left  hall,  where  they  had  dined,  and  lock- 
ing their  arms,  walked  four  abreast  down  the  High  Street. 

Everybody  had  to  get  out  of  their  way. 

At  a  small  and  secluded  tavern  they  stopped  to  bait. 

Some  brandy  and  water  made  them  more  valiant  than 
ever. 

Each  talked  of  what  he  would  do  if  the  cads  dared  to 
show  fight. 

On  their  way  they  met  several  men  of  different  colleges, 
all  wending  the  same  way. 

"The  'varsity  is  coming  up  strong,"  exclaimed  Sir 
Sydney. 


38  JA  CK  H ARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

CHAPTER  VI. 


WHEW  the  four  Oxford  men  got  out  of  the  High  Street, 
they  walked  in  pairs. 

Jack  took  Tom  Garden's  arm,  and  Harvey  walked  on 
ahead  with  Sir  Sydney  Dawson. 

' '  Have  you  ever  been  in  a  town  and  gown  row  ?  " 
asked  Jack  of  his  companion. 

"Yes,  once,"  replied  Carden.  "It  was  last  fifth  of 
November,  and  the  town  had  made  up  their  minds  for  it." 

"  Did  you  lick  ?  " 

"  I  can't  say  we  did.  All  I  know  is  I  got  the  sweetest 
hiding  I  ever  had  in  my  life,  and  could  not  show  up  for  a 
fortnight." 

' '  How  was  that  ?  I  thought  a  gentleman  could  always 
lick  a  cad." 

"Don't  run  away  with  any  mistaken  idea  of  that  sort, 
my  dear  fellow,"  replied  Carden. 

"Why  not  ? "  asked  Jack. 

"Well,  it  is  easy  enough  to  explain.  You  tackle  a 
bargee,  and  if  he's  got  more  bone  and  muscle  and  wind 
than  you,  it  follows  that  you  must  go  to  the  wall." 

"That's  a  Q.  E.  D.,"  replied  Jack,  with  a  laugh,  "as 
we  say  in  Euclid." 

"  Besides,"  added  Carden,  "  the  town  is  generally 
stronger  in  numbers ;  and  then  there  is  the  chance  of 
meeting  the  proctor  and  his  bulldogs.  A  town  and  gown 
row  isn't  all  violets." 

"I  mean  to  have  a  go  in,"  said  Jack,  "  whether  or  no. 
Just  let  a  townsman  rile  me,  and  I'll  let  him  have  what  for/ 

"You're  young,  and  had  better  keep  out  of  it.* 

"  Never  mind  that  I'm  as  strong  as  a  young  lion,  and 
know  how  to  fight  My  fists  are  as  hard  as  iron  through 
knocking  about  at  sea. " 

"That  may  be." 

"Will  you  tell  me  that  science  goes  for  nothing  ? " 

"Not  exactly;  but  brute  force  isn't  to  be  sneezed  at, 
my  boy,"  answered  Carden. 

He  took  out  his  pipe. 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  39 

"  Got  any  'bacca  ?  "  he  asked. 

Jack  handed  him  his  pouch. 

"  I  shall  poke  a  smipe,  or,  as  you  would  say,  smoke  a 
pipe.  Give  me  your  lox  of  bights." 

Jack  handed  him  a  box  of  lights,  and  he  smoked  calmly 
like  the  philosopher  he  was. 

Making  up  his  mind  that  he  wouldn't  funk  the  cads  as 
he  termed  the  townspeople,  Jack  longed  to  reach  the  fair. 

It  was  held  in  a  field  a  little  way  out  of  the  town. 

As  they  approached,  there  was  a  great  blaze  of  naphtha 
lamps,  a  babel  of  voices,  and  a  perpetual  striking  of  big 
drums  and  gongs. 

"  Here  we  are,"  exclaimed  Jack,  joyfully. 

He  sniffed  the  battle  afar  oft,  like  a  warhorse. 

Sir  Sydney  pushed  his  way  rudely  through  the  crowd, 
provoking  more  than  one  indignant  exclamation. 

Stopping  at  a  stall,  he  said — 

"Fill  your  pockets  with  nuts  and  oranges." 

"  What  for  ?"  said  Jack. 

"To  get  up  a  row  with.     You  do  as  I  tell  you." 

They  did  so,  and  moved  towards  a  large  erection,  in 
which  a  theatrical  representation  went  on  every  quarter 
of  an  hour. 

Bang  !  bang  !  went  the  gong. 

"Walk  up,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  walk  up  !  "  exclaimed 
a  man  upon  the  platform.  "Sixpence  is  the  charge  for 
the  finest  performance  of  ancient  or  modern  days." 

"What's  the  play  ?  "  asked  Sir  Sydney. 

"  The  « Triple  Murder  ;  or,  Blood  for  Blood,' "  answered 
the  showman  ;  "  being  the  story  of  the  hereditary  curse 
which  descended  from  father  to  son,  and  heventually 
hextinguished  two  of  the  first  families  in  Venice.  Walk 
up,  gentlemen,  walk  up,  and  see  the  show." 

Several  university  men  were  going  in,  and  Dawson 
said — 

"We  may  as  well  have  a  tanner's  worth,  and  start 
here. " 

' '  So  you've  made  up  your  mind  for  a  row  ? "  cried 
Garden. 

' '  Of  course.     It's  what  we  came  for,  isn't  it  ? " 

' '  Speak  for  yourself. " 

"  You're  not  going  to  leave  us,"  said  Jack,  in  a  tone  of 
reproach. 


40  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  Not  I  ;  if  you're  on  for  a  shindy,  I'll  see  you  through 
it  as  well  as  I  can." 

They  entered  the  show,  which  contained  about  two 
hundred  people. 

"About  forty  of  these  were  Oxford  men. 

The  mob  consisted  of  men,  women,  and  children,  who 
had  come  out  to  enjoy  themselves. 

A  slight  hissing  arose  as  Sir  Sydney  and  his  friends 
made  their  appearance. 

Sir  Sydney  took  off  his  cap,  and  bowed  to  the  company 
with  mock  politeness. 

They  pushed  their  way  to  the  front,  where  four  young- 
sters about  fifteen  had  seated  themselves. 

"Oblige  me  by  getting  out  of  that,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 

"  We  shan't,"  replied  one  of  the  youths.  "  We've  paid 
our  coin,  and  we've  as  much  right  here  as  you." 

"  More,"  said  another,  "  as  we  were  here  first." 

"Did  you  hear  me?"  continued  Sir  Sydney,  in  the  same 
quiet,  insolent  tone. 

"Yes." 

"Then  perhaps  you  did  not  understand  me.  I  want 
these  seats  for  myself  and  friends." 

"  You  won't  have  them,  old  chap,"  replied  the  biggest 
of  the  youths. 

Turning  to  his  friends,  Sir  Sydney  said — 

"  Each  of  you  take  one,  and  eject  him  with  no  more 
violence  than  is  absolutely  necessary.  I  should  be  sorry 
to  hurt  the  town  at  this  early  stage  of  the  proceedings." 

He  set  the  example  and  seizing  the  nearest  lad  by  the 
collar,  threw  him  away  as  if  he  had  been  a  piece  of 
wood. 

The  others  then  were  turned  out  with  equal  celerity. 

They  picked  themselves  up,  and  stood  stupidly  staring 
at  their  aggressors,  who  were  too  big  to  fight  with. 

"Bravo!  "  cried  several  gownsmen.  "Well  done,  St. 
Aldate's  !  Well  done,  Oxford  !  " 

"  Shame,  shame  !  "  shouted  the  rest  of  the  audience. 

Sir  Sydney  rose  and,  looking  round  him  with  a  smiling 
countenance,  bowed  in  the  same  polite  manner. 

A  storm  of  hissing  arose,  at  which  Sir  Sydney  bowed 
again,  as  if  in  receipt  of  a  compliment,  and  then  sat 
down. 

' '  Bravo,  our  side  !  "  he  muttered. 


/A  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  41 

The  youths  slunk  away,  and  were  provided  with  seats 
at  the  back  of  the  booth. 

Here  they  were  joined  by  several  acquaintances,  who 
began  to  talk  about  what  they  would  give  the  gownsmen 
when  they  got  them  outside. 

"That's  first  blood  to  us,"  said  Tom  Garden,  to  Jack, 
"  but  they'll  make  us  pay  for  it  presently." 

The  place  being  full,  the  proprietor  gave  the  order  to 
close  the  show,  and  the  performance  of  "The  Triple 
Murder"  commenced. 

"  Up  goes  the  rag/'  remarked  Sir  Sydney,  as  the  curtain 
ascended. 

A  truculent-looking  bravo  was  discovered  with  a 
dagger  tightly  clutched  in  his  right  hand. 

"  Berlood,  berlood,  I  must  and  will  have  berlood,"  he 
cried. 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson  whispered  to  his  three  friends — 

' '  Get  out  your  oranges,  and  plant  him  well  on  the  nose. " 

He  was  the  first  to  throw. 

Struck  on  the  nose,  the  bravo  looked  round  angrily. 

"  None  of  your  larks,"  he  said,  to  the'audience. 

An  orange  struck  him  in  the  eye  at  this  juncture,  and 
being  soft,  it  broke,  the  pulp  going  over  him. 

"I  say,  stash  it  !  "  he  cried.  "The  play  can't  go  on, 
if — oh  !  my  eye  !  Oh  !  crikey,  there's  another.  Gentle- 
men, stop  it,  it  ain't  good  enough." 

Roars  of  laughter  proceeded  from  the  collegians,  but 
the  townspeople  were  very  indignant. 

They  had  paid  their  money  to  see  a  show,  and  they 
wanted  their  money's  worth. 

In  addition  to  this,  there  was  a  bad  feeling  existing 
between  them  and  the  Oxonians. 

It  slumbered  like  a  tiny  spark,  but  it  only  wanted  a 
little  fanning  to  make  it  burst  out  into  ablaze. 

Hearing  the  disturbance,  the  manager  came  forward, 
and  was  greeted  with  a  shower  of  nuts. 

"Really,  gentlemen,"  he  said,  "this  conduct  is  most 
unseemly. " 

"Go  to  bed,"  said  Jack. 

"Oh  it's  you,  is  it?  "  asked  the  manager.  "I'll  make 
an  hexample  of  you." 

"  Come  on,"  Jack  replied  ;    "  I  am  ready  for  you." 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson  rose  with  his  usual  bland  smile. 


42  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"I  have  to  request,"  he  said,  "that  the  performance 
proceed.  We  are  here  to  improve  our  minds  by  high- 
class  acting ;  let  the  first  brigand  go  on." 

"  Hear,  hear  !  "  said  Jack. 

"It's  my  opinion,  you're  all  of  a  kidney,  you  Oxford 
gents,  and  if  there  is  any  more  row,  I  shall  shut  up  the 
show,"  said  the  manager. 

"Turn  'em  out !     Turn  'em  out !  "  cried  the  audience. 

A  stout,  plethoric-looking  man,  stood  up  in  the  centre 
of  the  booth. 

"Sir,"  he  replied,  "  I  have  been  an  in  habitant  of  Oxford 
for  fifteen  years,  and  I  never  saw  such  a  disgraceful 
scene  in  a  public  place  of  entertainment  before." 

"  I  quite  agree  with  you,  sir,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 

"That  is  more  than  I  do  with  you,  sir,"  said  the  pleth- 
oric gentleman.  "I  have  been  an  inhabitant  of  Oxford 
for " 

"You  told  us  that  before." 

"I  repeat  it,  and  I  will  add  that  you  are  a  disgrace  to 
the  peerage,  for  I  perceive  that  you  are  a  gentleman  com- 
moner by  the  golden  tassel  to  your  cap." 

"Wrong  again,  old  boy.  I  wear  a  tuft,  but  I  am  not 
in  the  peerage,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 

"Then  you're  an  impostor." 

"You're  a  very  rude  old  man.     Have  an  orange  ?  " 

One,  dexterously  thrown,  struck  him  on  the  forehead. 

The  old  man  gesticulated  violently. 

"That's  an  assault,"  he  said.  "I'll  find  out  his  name 
and  college.  I'll  have  him  up  for  it.  You  are  all  witness 
to  the  assault." 

' '  You  bald-headed  old  stag,  shut  up, "  replied  Sir 
Sydney. 

"I  will  not  be  put  down  by  clamor,"  said  the  irate 
party. 

' '  No  one  wants  you  to. 

' '  I  am  a  respectable  member  of  society. " 

"Behave  as  such  then,"  answered  Sir  Sydney. 

"Gentlemen,  gentlemen,  is  the  performance  to  proceed 
or  not  ? "  asked  the  manager,  imploringly. 

"Certainly  not  to-night,"  answered  Sir  Sydney.  "  I've 
been  insulted,  and  unless  an  apology  is  made  by  the  old 
party  with  the  bladder  sort  of  head,  I  shall  not  allow  you 
to  go  on." 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  43 

The  indignation  of  the  audience  now  reached  its 
height. 

"  A  pretty  thing  indeed,"  said  one. 

"Very  nice  goings-on,"  remarked  another. 

"Turn  them  out  Come  on,  wire  in  together.  Ill 
make  one,"  replied  a  third 

The  aspect  of  affairs  became  menacing. 

As  for  the  manager  he  did  not  know  what  to  da 


CHAPTER  VII. 

TOWN    AND     GOWN. 

EVERYBODY  in  the  booth  began  to  talk  at  once,  and  the 
confusion  became  general. 

The  manager  tore  his  hair,  and  in  vain  implored  si- 
lence. 

It  was  impossible  for  the  play  to  go  on. 

Turning  his  head  towards  the  door,  Jack  saw  that  about 
fifty  townsmen  were  gathering  together  in  that  direction, 
as  if  to  prevent  the  gown  from  getting  out 

While  the  two  sections  were  still  quiet,  the  match  re- 
quired to  set  the  combustible  materials  in  a  flame  arrived. 

It  came  in  the  shape  of  an  undergraduate,  who  was 
known  all  through  Oxford  for  his  fighting  propensities. 

He  had  studied  the  noble  art  of  self-defence  under  Nat 
Langham,  and  once  on  a  race-course  he  had  beaten  Jem 
Mace's  Wolf,  as  a  black  prize-fighter  was  called,  in  a  fair 
stand-up  mill 

His  name  was  Dropmore. 

It  was  a  peculiarly  happy  name  for  two  reasons. 

He  was  fond  of  his  beer,  and  could  always  take  more 
than  most  people,  and  seldom  refused  a  drop  more. 

In  addition  to  that,  when  engaged  in  a  street  row,  he 
could  drop  more  than  any  body  else. 

Pushing  his  way  in,  he  was  stopped  by  the  money- 
taker,  who  said — 

' '  Tell  you,  sir,  the  show  is  closed.     You  can't  go  in. " 

"But  I  am  in,  my  good  fellow,"  replied  Dropmore. 

He  was  a  Brasenose  man,  and  stood  fully  six  feet  one 


44  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

in  his  socks.      Tall,   handsome,   brawny,   herculean,   he 
was  the  very  beau  ideal  of  a  man. 

'You'll  have  to  go  back,"  said  the  attendant 

'  Shall  I  ? " 

'  If  you  don't  I'll  make  you. " 

'  What  will  you  do  ?  " 

'  Put  you  out" 

Dropmore  looked  at  him  contemptuously. 

"Why,  you  dirty  little  hang-dog-looking  hound,"  he 
exclaimed,  "I'll  knock  you  into  the  middle  of  next  week 
in  a  brace  of  shakes.  Get  out  of  my  gaslight " 

The  man,  however,  was  not  wise  in  his  generation. 

He  put  his  hand  on  Dropmore 's  arm. 

In  an  instant  Dropmore  had  him  by  the  collar,  and 
swung  him  in  mid-air. 

"  Don't  waste  him,"  said  Jack,  "kill  a  cad  with  Kim." 

The  devil  was  in  Dropmore  that  night 

Jack's  suggestion  was  not  lost  upon  him. 

Laying  hold  of  the  wretched  man  by  the  seat  of  his 
breeches,  as  well  as  by  the  collar  of  his  coat,  he  swung 
him  backwards  and  forwards  once  or  twice,  then  he  threw 
him  into  the  middle  of  the  audience. 

He  fell  on  two  old  ladies  who  were  quietly  munching 
biscuits. 

They  uttered  a  shriek  of  pain  and  fainted.  The  towns- 
people could  bear  no  more. 

At  a  signal  from  the  manager,  the  curtain  was  lowered. 

The  first  brigand  retired  to  solace  himself  with  a  pint 
of  porter. 

A  dozen  townsmen  rushed  upon  Dropmore,  who  took 
them  fairly,  one  down  the  other  come  on. 

"Row  !  row  1 "  cried  Jack,  jumping  up. 

A  tremendous  riot  ensued. 

The  town  attacked  the  gown  wherever  they  could  find 
them. 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson  touched  Jack  on  the  shoulder. 

"  Steady,"  he  said.  "  No  fighting  now,  unless  you  can 
help  it" 

"  I  want  to  have  a  go  in,"  replied  Jack. 

"So  you  shall  presently.     Wait  till  we  get  outside." 

-Why?" 

"  Because  there  are  women  and  children  here.  If  it 
were  not  for  that,  I  would  soon  smash  the  place  up." 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  45 

There  was  a  frightful  rush  to  the  doors. 

Dropmore  raised  his  voice. 

"  Sit  down,  gown,"  he  exclaimed.  "Let  the  women- 
kind  clear  out.  I'm  all  right." 

The  collegians  retained  their  seats. 

It  was  clear  that  Dropmore  was  fighting  against  large 
odds. 

He  had  placed  his  back  against  the  wall,  and  managed 
to  hold  his  own,  however. 

The  manager  turned  the  lights  out,  which  increased 
the  uproar. 

Five  minutes  elapsed,  and  as  the  theatre  was  nearly 
empty,  Dropmore  exclaimed — 

"Come  along,  you  fellows.     Now's  our  time." 

The  Oxford  men  rose,  and  made  their  way  to  the  plat- 
form. 

This  was  about  five  feet  from  the  ground,  and  the 
retreating  townsmen  had  snatched  away  the  ladder  which 
served  the  purpose  of  a  staircase. 

Dropmore  was  the  first  out. 

Snatching  up  the  gong  stick,  he  beat  it  loudly  against 
the  gong. 

The  lamps  were  blazing  still  in  front  of  the  show. 

A  mixed  crowd  of  town  and  gown  gathered  in  front  of 
the  booth. 

"  Stone  them  !  Stone  them  !  "  shouted  the  town,  as  the 
university  men  gathered  on  the  platform. 

Dropmore  constituted  himself  the  leader  of  the  riot. 

"It's  all  right,  now  Dropmore's  come,"  said  Sir  Sydney 
Dawson.  ' '  He's  sure  to  get  up  a  very  neat  imitation  of 
Donnybrook  Fair.  If  we  had  not  come  for  a  row,  he 
would  have  started  one  for  our  especial  benefit." 

"  How  are  we  to  get  down  ?"  asked  Jack. 

"  Drop  from  the  platform." 

The  university  men  presented  a  formidable  phalanx. 

There  were  more  of  them  amongst  the  crowd,  and 
though  they  were  outnumbered  by  the  town,  they  were 
by  no  means  contemptible  antagonists. 

The  town  now  began  to  throw  stones  and  mud. 

Several  Oxonians  were  hit. 

"Now,  my  lads,"  exclaimed  Dropmore,  "get  down  to 
terra  fir  ma,  and  let  the  cads  have  it — hot  and  strong,  mind. 
Keep  together,  and  fight  your  way  to  your  colleges. '' 


46  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

As  he  spoke,  he  precipitated  himself  into  the  mob. 

It  was  a  second  Curtius  leaping  into  the  gulf. 

He  was  surrounded  in  a  moment,  the  town  crying— 

"That's  the  one  !     Give  it  him.     Slog,  slog."  ' 

The  others  were  not  slow  in  following  his  example. 

Jack  did  not  think  of  any  body. 

He  was  separated  from  his  companions,  and  no  soonei 
reached  the  ground  than  he  was  engaged  with  half-a- 
dozen  antagonists. 

He  could  hear  Dropmore's  voice  shouting — 

"Gown!     Gownl" 

And  every  now  and  then  hoarse  cries  of  "Town! 
Town  !  "  were  raised. 

By  dint  of  sheer  pluck  and  hard  knuckles,  he  fought 
his  way  out  of  the  crowd,  and  got  into  the  field  away  from 
the  glare  and  the  din  of  the  fair. 

Here  a  few  Oxonians  had  assembled,  pursued  by  the 
mob. 

It  was  with  pleasure  he  heard  Sir  Sydney  Dawson's 
voice. 

"Shoulder  to  shoulder,"  he  said,  "like  the  guards  at 
Waterloo.  No  straggling.  The  mob's  savage,  and  it 
won't  do  to  give  half  a  chance." 

The  gownsmen  retreated  slowly,  while  the  townsmen 
charged  them  most  furiously  at  intervals. 

"There's  a  bargee,"  said  Jack.     " I  must  punish  him." 

Stepping  back,  he  aimed  a  blow  at  a  stout,  burly  man, 
hitting  him  in  the  eye. 

"  How  about  that  puppy-dog  pie,  under  Marlow 
bridge  ?  "  he  said. 

"  I'll  give  you  pie,  you  puppy,"  replied  the  bargeman. 

As  he  spoke  he  collared  Jack,  and  dragged  him  into 
the  mob. 

Now  an  Oxford  mob  is  not  a  kind  or  considerate  one. 

It  is  a  cruel,  savage,  vindictive  crowd. 

And  woe  to  the  man  who  gets  down. 

They  show  him  no  mercy. 

Jack  struggled  hard,  but  with  half-a-dozen  strong  hands 
at  his  throat,  he  could  not  do  very  much. 

Just  as  his  strength  was  failing  him,  a  diversion  was 
made  in  the  rear. 

Dropmore  came  up  shouting,  "  Gown  to  the  rescue  I " 
and  charged  the  crowd. 


/ACXHARKAWA*  ^T  OXFORD.  47 

The  town  fell  back,  and  Jack  found  himself  seeing 
stars,  and  wiping  the  blood  from  his  nose. 

"Don't  you  do  that  again,  young  shaver,"  said  Drop- 
more.  "  It  was  lucky  I  came  up-  Now  then.  Keep 
together  and  make  for  the  High." 

They  ran  up  a  small  street,  and  reached  the  corn- 
market. 

The  mob  followed  them  and  a  regular  riot  commenced. 

The  Oxford  men  made  a  stand  in  the  corn  market, 
which,  fiom  its  broadness,  gave  them  excellent  facilities 
for  fighting. 

From  every  part  the  town  poured  in. 

The  cries  of  ' '  Town !  Town  !  "  resembled  the  old 
shouts  of  "  Prentices  !  Prentices  !  Clubs  !  Clubs  !  "  in  the 
city  of  London  centuries  ago. 

A  lot  of  Worcester  men,  hearing  the  noise  came  out 
and  made  a  welcome  addition  to  the  gowns, 

The  fighting  grew  fast  and  furious,  and  the  collegians 
drove  the  town  up  St.  Giles's. 

"That's  your  sort,  go  it  1  *  cried  Jack,  hitting  a  towns- 
man in  the  eye. 

Suddenly  he  heard  a  cry  of — 

' '  The  proctor  is  coming.     Run  !  Run  1 " 

The  crowd  raised  a  derisive  shout 

"  They'll  cut  now,"  exclaimed  a  tradesman's  son,  who 
had  taken  a  prominent  part  in  the  affray. 

Jack  remembered  being  had  up  before  the  dean,  for 
breaking  Mr.  Scraper's  windows,  so  he  ran  up  a  small 
street,  and  stood  still  panting,  near  the  Bodleian. 

Close  to  him,  when  the  alarm  was  sounded,  were 
Harvey  and  Sir  Sydney  Dawson. 

They  were  not  so  fortunate. 

The  proctor  caught  them,  and  exclaimed — 

"  Your  name  and  college,  gentlemen  ?  " 

They  told  him. 

The  velvet  sleeve  of  the  proctor  was  close  to  Harvey. 

The  bulldogs,  as  the  proctor's  marshals  are  called, 
were  taking  stock  of  them. 

"Go  to  your  college  at  once,"  said  the  proctor. 

They  turned  round,  being  caught  in  the  act,  and  in  the 
High  Street  met  Jack. 

"Hullo!  Harkaway,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney,  "Did 
the  proctor  nail  you  ? " 


48  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"No  fear,"  replied  Jack.     "  I  bolted." 

"  You're  a  sharp  sort  of  customer  for  a  freshman  in  his 
first  year,"  said  Sir  Sydney,  smiling. 

"Why  not?" 

"  Here  am  I,  an  old  stager,  and  I  go  and  get  collared 
like  a  bird  who  has  a  pinch  of  salt  put  upon  his  tail !  " 

"Are  you  in  for  it,  too,  Dick  ?  "  exclaimed  Jack. 

"Yes,  worse  luck,''  replied  Harvey,  "  and  I've  a 
couple  of  loose  teeth  into  the  bargain." 

"  Where's  Tom  Garden  ?  " 

"Sloped  off  home,  I  expect.  He's  a  leary  old  fox," 
remarked  Sir  Sydney. 

"  What  are  we  going  to  do  now  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"Go  back  to  college,  I  suppose,  since  the  proctor  has 
gated  us,"  answered  Harvey. 

"I  vote  we  do  nothing  of  the  sort,"  exclaimed  Sir 
Sydney.  "The  theatre  is  open  to-night;  let's  go  in  for 
half  an  hour.  They  play  Don  Giovanni.  It's  an  opera 
company  or  something  like  it." 

"No,  it  isn't,"  said  Jack.  "It's  a  burlesque.  I  saw 
the  bills  stuck  up." 

' '  Well,  shall  we  have  a  box  ?  " 

"I'd  rather  have  another  shy  at  the  cads,"  replied 
Jack. 

"That  be  hanged!  I've  had  enough  of  it,"  cried  Sir 
Sydney.  "  I've  punched  twenty  heads  to-night,  if  I've 
punched  one,  and  that  sort  of  thing  becomes  monotonous 
by  repetition.  Besides  cads'  heads  are  hard  and  hurt 
my  fingers." 

"  Well,"  said  Jack,  "  let's  turn  into  the  theatre  for  half 
an  hour." 

"I  coald  do  with  a  beer  first,"  remarked  Harvey. 
"What  do  you  say,  Dawson  ?  " 

"I  think  I  could  struggle  with  a  little,"  replied  the 
baronet 

Seeing  a  tavern  near  the  theatre,  they  went  in  and 
called  for  three  glasses  of  ale. 

A  tall  thin,  lantern-jawed  man  was  standing  and  solac- 
ing himself  with  cold  gin  and  pinches  of  snuff,  which  he 
took  out  of  a  box  on  the  counter. 

"Going  to  the  theatre,  gents ?  "  he  asked. 

"  What's  that  to  do  with  you  ?  "  exclaimed  Jack,  who 
tfas  not  in  a  good  humour  with  the  town. 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD,  49 

"A  great  deal,  sir;  I  belong  to  the  company.  My 
name's  Peter,  and  I  play  ghostesses  !  "  said  the  man. 

"Oh,  you  do,"  said  Jack.  "What  is  your  part  to- 
night? " 

"  I  come  on  in  the  statue  scene,"  replied  Peter.  "  It's 
Don  Giovanni.  The  Don  sees  me  sitting  on  the  stone 
horse  and  chaffs  me.  I've  got  to  answer  him,  and  say 
that  he  will  sup  with  me  in  the  infernal  regions.  Oh  ! 
I'm  powerful  good  at  ghostesses  !  " 

"  We're  going  in  for  half  an  hour,  and  we  shall  see 
you,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney.  "Mind  you  do  it  well." 

"  No  fear,  sir  !  " 

Jack  had  slipped  round  to  another  part  of  the  bar. 

"  Can  you  give  me  some  cayenne  pepper  ?  "  Jack  asked 
of  the  barmaid. 

"What  for,  sir?" 

"  Never  mind.  It's  a  lark.  I'll  give  you  a  kiss  to-mor- 
row and  take  you  out  on  Sunday,  if  you  will." 

The  girl  smiled  and  presently  went  to  the  kitchen, 
returning  with  about  half-an-ounce  of  red  pepper  in  a 
piece  of  paper. 

"  Thanks,  very  much.  I  shan't  forget  you,  Polly,'*  he 
said. 

Going  back  to  his  friends,  Jack  took  up  the  snuff-box, 
and  holding  it  down,  emptied  the  pepper  into  the  snuff. 

Harvey  saw  him,  and  said — 

"  What  devilment  are  you  up  to  now  ?  " 

"  You'll  see  a  lark  presently,"  exclaimed  Jack. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  ?  "  said  Harvey. 

"If  the  ghost  doesn't  sneeze  his  heart  out,  I'll  eat  my 
head,  and  my  head's  not  butcher's  meat,"  replied  Jack. 

Harvey  grinned. 

"No  one  but  you  would  have  thought  of  such  a  thing," 
he  said. 

"Of  course  not.  Larking  is  my  line  of  country.  I 
understand  it." 

Just  then  a  small  boy  rushed  frantically  into  the  tavern. 

"  Peter  !  "  he  exclaimed.      "Where's  that  Peter ?  " 

"Here,  young  un.  What's  flurried  your  milk? "cried 
the  ghost. 

"You're  called;  the  curtain's  waiting,  and  you'll  get 
lined  if  you're  not  smart." 

"Coming,"  cried  Peter,  drinking  his  gin  and  water. 
4 


50  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD, 

"  Have  another  sninch  of  puff,  as  my  friend  Garden 
would  say,"  cried  Jack. 

He  offered  him  the  box. 

"Never  say  no  to  a  good  thing,"  and  Peter  took  two 
pinches,  one  for  each  nostril,  and  ramming  them  well 
home  ran  off  to  the  theatre. 

"Come  on!"  exclaimed  Jack.  "We've  no  time  to 
lose. " 

Going  to  the  pay-place,  they  took  the  stage-box  and 
were  ushered  to  it  by  a  man  with  programmes. 

Just  as  they  were  comfortably  seated,  the  bell  tinkled 
and  the  curtain  drew  up. 


CHAPTER  VIIL 

A   RUN  FOR  SAFETY. 

THE  little  house  was  well  filled  with  respectable  people. 

As  if  to  show  his  contempt  for  Oxford  society,  Sir  Syd- 
ney Dawson  took  out  his  handsome  cigar  case,  and 
lighted  up,  though  he  knew  it  was  against  the  rules. 

Jack  hinted  as  much  to  him. 

"What's  the  use  of  rules,  if  they  are  not  to  be  broken  ? 
If  they  can  stop  my  smoking,  they  are  welcome  to  try," 
replied  Sir  Sydney. 

In  the  centre  of  the  stage  was  a  horse,  and  on  the 
horse's  back  was  Peter. 

It  was  intended  to  represent  a  statue,  and  Peter  was 
supposed  to  be  made  of  stone. 

The  don  and  his  valet,  Leperello,  came  on  the  stage, 
and  the  don  addressed  the  statue. 

Jack  watched  Peter  carefully. 

He  saw  his  face  twitch  convulsively,  first  on  one  side 
and  then  on  the  other. 

He  saw  his  head  shake,  and  the  tears  run  down  his 
cheek,  while  his  mouth  opened  and  shut. 

"It's  impossible  that  he  can  bear  it  much  longer," 
thought  Jack. 

Nor  was  he  wrong. 

Peter  was  only  human  after  all,  though  he  boasted 
how  well  he  could  do  the  "  ghostesses. " 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  5 1 

Suddenly  he  threw  back  his  head,  and  gave  vent  to  a 
tremendous  sneeze  that  shook  the  theatre. 

The  red  pepper  was  too  much  for  him. 

Don  Giovanni  left  off  speaking,  and  stared  at  the  statue. 

"  A-chiffoo  !  a-chiffoo  !  a-chiff-foo  !  "  sneezed  the  miser- 
able Peter. 

The  audience  began  to  laugh,  and  the  laugh  deepened 
into  a  roar. 

Jack  clapped  his  hands  and  applauded  vigorously. 

' '  Bravo,  Peter  !  "  he  said  from  the  stage  box. 

Peter,  forgetting  all  about  his  part  and  character,  shook 
his  fist  at  him. 

"I'll  Peter  you,"  he  said,  in  a  low  voice.  "You've 
been  putting — a-chiff-foo  ! — something  in  the — a-chiff-foo, 
foo-foo  ! — snuff,  blarm  your  young — a-chiff-foo  ! — eyes  !  " 

"Go  it,  Peter;  you  can  do  it,"  replied  Jack,  derisively. 

The  sneezing  now  became  continuous. 

Peter  shook  the  horse  so  that  the  framework  gave 
way. 

He  came  to  the  floor  with  a  crash,  above  which  his 
awful  a-chiff-foo  !  was  distinctly  audible. 

The  lessee  rushed  on  the  stage,  and  began  to  cuff  Peter 
unmercifully. 

This  made  the  audience  roar  louder  than  ever,  and  the 
curtain  was  lowered  amidst  a  scene  of  unutterable  con- 
fusion. 

"We'd  best  make  tracks,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 

"All  right  ;  I'm  ready,"  replied  Jack,  who  had  laughed 
till  the  tears  ran  down  his  cheeks. 

They  quitted  the  box,  and  reached  the  street,  making 
their  way  back  again  to  the  corn-market. 

Here  loud  cries  informed  them  that  the  fighting  was 
still  going  on  between  town  and  gown. 

So  formidable  had  the  contest  become,  that  it  assumed 
the  proportions  of  a  riot 

Police  in  large  numbers  were  hastening  to  the  spot 

The  town  had  driven  the  gown  up  St.  Giles's  as  far  as 
Keble  College. 

A  number  of  freshmen  from  Keble  turned  out,  and 
fighting  well  together,  drove  the  town  down  towards  the 
High  Street  again. 

A  knot  of  townsmen  encountered  the  three  friends,  and 
Jack  immediately  "  let  out  "  at  one,  who  rolled  over. 


52  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

They  were  instantly  sat  upon  by  the  others,  who  out- 
numbered them  in  the  order  of  three  to  one. 

Jack  fought  like  a  Turk. 

Suddenly  a  cry  of  "The  police  are  on  us  !  "  alarmed  the 
combatants. 

"Step  it !  "  said  Sir  Sydney.  "  It  will  never  do  to  be 
collared  by  the  police  ;  they're  worse  than  the  proctor  and 
his  bulldogs." 

Giving  one  antagonist  a  parting  "reminder,"  as  he 
called  it,  Jack  set  off  running. 

The  police  caught  sight  of  the  gowns  and  closely 
pursued  them. 

Seeing  a  door  open  in  a  private  house  Sir  Sydney 
exclaimed,  in  a  hurried  tone — 

' '  In  here  !     Quick  !  " 

They  darted  into  the  passage,  shut  the  door,  and  leaned 
pantingly  against  the  wall,  while  the  police  followed  by 
a  yelling  mob,  ran  blindly  on  in  pursuit  of  fugitive  gowns. 

Presently  a  young  girl,  bearing  a  candle  in  her  hand, 
appeared. 

She  was  tall,  slender,  and  fair ;  her  features  were 
exquisitely  lovely,  and  her  age  could  not  have  been  more 
than  eighteen. 

"Do  you  wish  to  see  my  father,  gentlemen?"  she 
asked.  "  If  so,  you  would  have  done  well  to  have 
knocked  at  the  door." 

"We  found  it  open,  miss,"  replied  Sir  Sydney,  "and 
beg  to  apologise  for  our  intrusion. " 

"It  is  the  servant's  carelessness.  She  has  gone  for 
some  beer  for  supper." 

"  Pray  pardon  us,"  began  Jack. 

"  I  have  nothing  to  pardon,  "she  replied.  "If  you 
will  step  into  the  sitting-room,  I  will  call  my  father,  with 
whom,  I  suppose,  you  have  business.  He  has,  I  know, 
a  large  connection  with  university  gentlemen." 

"  Who  is  your  father,  may  I  ask  ? "  replied  Sir  Sydney. 

"His  name  is  Moses  Manasses." 

Sir  Sydney  had  some  difficulty  in  suppressing  a  loud 
whistle. 

He,  in  conjunction  with  most  Oxford  men  of  any 
standing,  had  heard  of  Mossy  Manasses,  the  rich  Jew 
money-lender. 

He  had  also  heard  of  his  pretty  daughter  Hilda. 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  53 

"  Permit  me  to  explain,"  he  said,  "  how  we  came  here. 
It  was  entirely  an  accident." 

''Then  you  have  no  business  with  my  father?  " 

"Not  at  present,  though  it  is  by  no  means  improbable 
that  some  of  us  may  require  his  services  some  day.  The 
fact  is,  we  were  pursued  by  the  police." 

"For  what?  "asked  Hilda,  fixing  her  lustrous  blue  eyes 
upon  Jack. 

"We  got  into  a  town  and  gown  row,"  said  Jack 

"  Ah  !  I  heard  from  my  father  that  one  of  the  disgrace^ 
ful  riots,  provoked  by  the  Oxford  gentlemen  was  going 
on." 

She  laid  a  sarcatic  stress  on  the  word  gentlemen. 

"You  are  a  little  too  hard  on  us,  Miss  Hilda,"  said  Sir 
Sydney. 

' '  You  know  my  name, "  she  exclaimed,  in  some  surprise. 

"  It  would  be  strange  if  I  had  not  heard  of  the  prettiest 
girl  in  Oxford,"  answered  Sir  Sydney,  gallantly. 

"I  do  not  wish  for  any  absurd  compliments,  sir, "she 
said,  severely.  "And  as  you  have  no  business  here,  and 
as,  I  presume,  you  are  now  out  of  danger,  will  it  not  be 
as  well  for  you  to  return  to  your  college  ? " 

"Certainly.  We  are  very  sorry  to  have  disturbed  you, 
and  thank  you  sincerely  for  your  timely  shelter." 

"  Nay,"  she  said,  "I  have  given  you  none  ;  I  am  turn- 
ing you  out  now." 

' '  Well,  I  will  say  for  the  shelter  your  house  afforded 
us,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney,  biting  his  lips. 

"I  will  take  care  the  door  is  not  so  carelessly,  left  open 
again, "  she  answered. 

She  opened  the  street  door  as  she  spoke,  and  they 
passed  out. 

Jack  kissed  his  hand  to  her,  and  said — 

"Hard-hearted  Hilda!" 

She  made  him  no  answer  but  slammed  the  door  almost 
rudely. 

The  young  men  hurried  quickly  back  to  St.  Aldate's. 

Owing  to  the  action  of  the  police,  the  riot  was  quickly 
put  down,  and  while  the  proctor  drove  the  gown  to  their 
colleges,  the  constable  caused  the  town  to  disperse. 

The  streets  were  now  still. 

"  What  a  pretty  girl !  "  said  Jack,  as  they  neared  home. 

"Isn't   she?"   replied   Sir    Sidney.      "It   makes    one 


54  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

almost  anxious  to  do  bills  at  forty  per  cent  with  old  Mossy, 
on  the  chance  of  seeing  his  lovely  daughter. " 

"Let's  fly  kites  for  twenties  or  some  small  sum,''  ex- 
claimed Harvey. 

"You've  no  chance  in  that  direction,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 
' '  She's  going  to  be  my  girl  if  she's  anybody's.  I've  marked 
her  for  my  own." 

"  Bosh  !  "  said  Jack.  "  She  looked  at  me  more  kindly 
than  at  any  of  you." 

"  I'll  tell  Emily,"  remarked  Harvey,  with  a  smile. 

Jack  was  about  to  reply  when  they  found  themselves 
at  the  gates  of  St.  Aldate's. 

It  was  just  upon  the  stroke  of  twelve,  so  they  were 
only  in  time. 

'•Twelve  of  the  clock,  by  Jove  !  Wake  up,  old  dor- 
mouse," exclaimed  the  baronet. 

The  sleepy  porter  let  them  in,  and  recognising  them 
said — 

"  The  senior  proctor  has  sent  to  know  if  you,  Sir  Sydney, 
and  Mr.  Harvey,  were  in  college." 

"Very  kind  of  him,  to  be  sure,"  replied  Dawson. 

"I  said  you  hadn't  come  in  yet,  and  so  you've  got  to 
go  to  him  at  half-past  nine  to-morrow,  sir." 

"Just  tell  the  senior  proctor,  with  my  compliments, 
that  I'll  see  him  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cherwell  first.  I've 
a  particular  engagement  with  a  dish  of  gudgeon  at  ten, 
and  can't  possibly  be  disturbed." 

The  porter  grinned. 

"Where  is  Mr.  Garden  ? "  asked  Jack. 

"Come  in  long  ago, sir.  He  ain't  like  you  freshmen,  sir, 
begging  your  pardon.  He  knows  when  to  stop,  he  does." 

The  three  men  entered  the  quad,  wishing  the  porter 
good-night,  and  Sir  Sydney  gave  the  old  man  half-a- 
sovereign  not  to  remind  the  proctor's  marshal  of  his  late 
return. 

"What's  the  little  game  now  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"  The  diminutive  amusement,  to  my  mind,  will  be  to 
draw  the  badger,"  replied  Sir  Sydney. 

"Who  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"Tom  Garden.  I'll  bet  we  find  the  old  fox  reading 
hard,  with  a  wet  towel  round  his  head  and  a  cup  of  green 
tea  by  his  side.  He's  a  beggar  to  work  at  anything  he 
takes  in  hand  ;  I  will  say  that  for  him. " 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  5  5 

"  I  like  a  fellow  who  is  thorough,"  said  Jack. 

"So  don't  I.  He's  a  nuisance.  Wait  till  you  are  in 
training.  He'll  put  you  through  your  paces,  hard  all,  I 
can  tell  you.  It's  no  joke  to  row  in  the  St  Aldate's 
'eight,'  when  Captain  Garden  has  made  up  his  mind  that 
we  are  to  get  to  the  head  of  the  river  next  year. " 

They  went  up  number  three  staircase  on  their  way  to 
Garden's  rooms,  which  were  on  the  second  floor. 


CHAPTER  IX 

KEMP   ASKS    A    FAVOUR. 

SIR  SYDNEY  DAWSON  was  right  in  his  surmise  that  Garden 
would  be  at  work. 

He  was  one  of  those  peculiar  men  who  are  rarely  seen 
working,  but  who,  nevertheless,  get  through  a  large 
amount  of  reading  at  odd  intervals. 

Garden  was  not  a  rich  man,  nor  had  he  great  ex- 
pectations from  any  relatives. 

Therefore  it  followed  that  he  must  take  his  degree  and 
make  the  most  of  his  time,  if  he  wanted  to  get  on  in  the 
world, 

His  only  passion  was  boating,  and  everyone  admitted 
Aim  to  be  a  capital  oar. 

He  was  picked  for  the  university  eight  in  the  famous 
annual  match  between  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  and  he 
had  determined  to  get  the  St.  Aldate's  boat  to  the  head  of 
the  river,  if  such  a  thing  was  to  be  accomplished  by  human 
means. 

He  opened  his  door  to  a  noisy  summons,  and,  looking 
patronisingly  at  his  visitors,  said — 

"I'll  bet  something  you  are  not  all  sober,  or  you 
would  not  come  knocking  a  decent  fellow  like  me  up  at 
this  time  of  night." 

"You  humbugging  old  sap  !  "  replied  Sir  Sydney,  "what 
do  you  mean  by  your  insolence  ?  Give  me  to  drink,  or  I 
shall  have  to  make  an  example  of  you." 

"You  get  nothing  out  of  me  to-night,"  said  Garden. 

"  Don't  be  mean." 

"  Not  the  smell  of  an  oil-rag.     Not  a  thimbleful " 


06  JA  CK  II ARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"I  say,  Garden,  be  generous.  We  have  been  fighti»,g 
the  battle  of  the  university  against  the  cads,"  said  Jack. 

"  I  dare  say  you  have,  and  more  shame  for  you,  when 
you  ought  to  have  been  within  gates." 

"  Why,  you  horrid  old  sinner,"  said  Sir  Sydney,  "you 
were  in  it  too." 

"I  only  protected  you  poor  boys." 

"Bring  out  some  drink." 

"I  tell  you  I  won't.  Go  and  find  it  somewhere  else, 
and  leave  me  alone.  Get  out,  or  I  shall  bring  my  shoe- 
maker in  contact  with  your  tailor,  which,  in  their  con- 
nection, you  will  find  painful,"  said  Garden,  with  a  laugh. 

"Don't  read  to-night.  Have  a  game  at  Van  John," 
urged  Jack. 

"  Hake  your  took,  dear  boys,"  replied  Garden. 

"  Well,  if  you're  such  a  bear,  we  will  take  our  hook,  as 
you  politely  request,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 

Tom  Garden  held  the  door  open  for  them. 

"Good-night,  beast,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney. 

"  Good-night,  vulture,"  replied  Garden. 

' '  You  irritating  old  ruffian  !  what  do  you  mean  ?  "  asked 
Sir  Sydney. 

' '  You're  a  bird  of  prey.     Be  off. " 

"  You  said  I  wasn't  sober,"  answered  Sir  Sydney,  who 
really  had  been  drinking  too  much,  and  with  the  drink 
and  the  excitement,  was  a  little  husky. 

"Say  'Oxford  is  a  truly  rural  place,' and  I'll  retract," 
said  Tom  Garden. 

"All  right.  Oxford  is  a  tooral  looral  place,"  replied  Sir 
Sydney. 

"  That  won't  do  ;  try  again." 

"  Oxford  is  a  looral  tooral — I  mean,  rooral  looral  sort 
of  crib.  Hang  the  words  !  I  can't  say  them." 

"Of  course  you  can't.  Go  home  to  bed.  You  have 
been  put  to  the  test,  weighed  in  the  balance,  and  found 
wanting.  Go  home,  dear  boy,  and  may  you  find  your  S. 
and  B.  in  the  morning;  all  your  thirsty  soul  can  drink." 

"I  have  a  soul  above  soda  and  brandy,"  replied  Sir 
Sydney,  loftily  ;  "  and  when  I  do  go  in  for  reading,  I'll  lay 
I  come  out  before  you. " 

With  this,  he  began  to  pick  his  way  carefully  down  the 
staircase. 

Tick  and  Harvey  followed  him. 


J4 CK  HARKA WAY  AT  OXFORD.  57 

"What  are  you  men  going  to  do?"  he  askti,  as  they 
reached  the  quad. 

Harvey  felt  very  miserable  at  the  prospect  of  having  te 
appear  before  the  proctor  on  the  following  morning,  and 
he  wanted  to  go  to  bed. 

"I  shall  turn  in,"  he  said. 

"I  think  I  shall  have  a  cigar,  and  then  get  between  the 
sheets,"  said  Jack. 

"Come  to  my  rooms,  then,  and  I'll  brew  you  a  bowl 
of  bishop.  Know  what  bishop  is  ?  "  said  the  baronet 

"No,"  answered  Jack. 

' '  Oxford's  celebrated  for  its  bishop — I  don't  mean  a 
joke  about  Wilberforce.  Bishop  is  made  of  port  wine, 
hot  water,  nutmeg,  lemon,  etc.,  and  a  rattling  good  drink 
it  is  after  a  town  and  gown  row." 

"  I'll  come  with  pleasure,  for  I'm  not  in  the  humour  to  go 
to  bed  just  yet,"  said  Jack. 

' '  I'll  slope  off, "  replied  Harvey.    '  'Excuse  me,  will  you  ?  " 

"  By  all  means,  if  you  want  to  roost." 

"I  don't  feel  jolly.  Will  you  go  to  the  proctor  with 
me  to-morrow  morning  ?  " 

"Not  if  I  know  it,"  replied  Sir  Sydney.  "The  proctor 
will  forget  all  about  me.  Tm  an  old  hand,  and  I  mean 
to  chance  it.  You  can  go  if  you  like." 

"Well,  good-night,"  said  Harvey. 

They  wished  him  good-night,  and  he  wended  his  solitary 
way  to  his  rooms,  while  Sir  Sydney  and  Jack  sought  the 
hospitable  shelter  of  the  former. 

Jack  did  not  stay  long,  but  promised  to  come  to  break- 
fast in  the  morning. 

"You  must  come,"  said  Sir  Sydney.  "I  want  your 
opinion  of  a  new  coach,  who  is  spoken  very  highly  of.:' 

' '  Are  you  going  in  for  reading  ? "  asked  Jack. 

"  Yes.     I  can't  help  myself,   if  I  want  to  pass  my  little 

g°-" 

"Who  is  this  new  tutor ? " 

"A  man  of  the  name  of  Mole.  He  has  been  a  school- 
master or  something." 

"Why,  that's  my  Mole,"  replied  Jack.  "How  funny 
you  should  select  him  !  He's  an  old  friend,  and  was  with 
me  in  Limbi.  He  will  think  it  odd  I  haven't  been  to  see 
him,  but  really  I  have  not  had  time  since  I  have  been  up 
here/ 


S8  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Jack  had  not  forgotten  Mr.  Mole,  and  he  was  delighted 
at  the  opportunity  of  meeting  him  again. 

Punctually  at  ten,  he  turned  up  at  Sir  Sydney  s  rooms. 

An  excellent  breakfast  was  on  the  table. 

Harvey  arrived  soon  afterwards,  looking  radiant. 

"I've  seen  the  proctor,"  he  exclaimed  ;  "  and  he  has  let 
me  off  with  two  hundred  lines  of  Virgil,  telling  me  to  be  a 
good  boy  and  not  do  it  again. " 

"  That's  jolly,"  said  Jack.  "  I  hope  you  will  follow  his 
advice.  Who  do  you  think  is  coming  here  this  morn- 
ing?" 

"Can't  say." 

"Old  Mole.     Dawson's  going  to  read  with  him. 

"  Never  1" 

"  He  is,  though,"  replied  Jack. 

Sir  Sydney  now  made  his  appearance  in  dressing-gown 
and  slippers. 

The  breakfast  proceeded,  and  when  it  was  over,  cigars 
were  produced. 

"  Don't  touch  those,"  said  Sir  Sydney,  pointing  to  some 
in  a  piece  of  paper. 

"Why  not?" 

"  They  are  explosive — in  fact,  they  are  a  sell.  A  little 
way  from  the  top  is  a  squib,  which  blows  up." 

"Thank  you  for  the  hint,"  said  Jack.  "That's  good 
enough  for  Mole." 

"1  keep  them  for  my  tradesmen.  The  fellows  come 
here  worrying  for  orders,  and  I  give  them  a  cigar,  which 
soon  starts  them,"  replied  the  baronet,  laughing. 

About  eleven  o'clock  Mr.  Mole  came  in. 

He  shook  hands  cordially  with  the  boys,  and  said, 
reproachfully — 

"  Mahomet  has  had  to  come  to  the  mountain.  I  think 
you  might  have  found  me  out,  Harkaway." 

"  Don't  cut  up  rough,  sir.  I  thought  I  would  let  you 
alone  for  a  week  or  two,  just  to  give  you  time  to  recover 
yourself.  You  will  have  enough  of  me  now,*  an- 
swered Jack. 

Mr.  Mole  smiled  faintly. 

"You   are  a  man   now,"  he  replied;  "and  of  course 
you  will  not  think  of  playing  boyish  tricks." 
'  Certainly  not,  sir.     Have  a  weed." 

M  Perhaps  Mr.Weazle  hasn't  breakfasted,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  59 

"Mole,  sir,  Mole — Isaac  Mole,  at  your  service  !  "  said 
that  gentleman,  correcting  him. 

"Oh,  ah!  Beg  pardon,  I'm  sure.  I  knew  it  was  a 
vermin  of  some  sort,"  cried  Sir  Sydney. 

Mr.  Mole  looked  at  him  half  angrily,  but  turning  to 
Harkaway,  said — 

' '  I  will  not  refuse  your  offer,  my  dear  boy,  as  I  have 
had  my  breakfast." 

Jack  handed  him  one  of  the  explosive  cigars,  and 
politely  gave  him  a  light. 

He  puffed  away  in  serene  contentment 

"Well, "said  Sir  Sydney,  "when  are  we  to  begin  to 
read,  Mr.  Stoat?  " 

"  Mole,  sir?  How  often  am  I  to  remind  you  that  my 
name  is  Mole,  Mole?" 

"I've  got  such  a  beastly  memory  for  names.  Don't 
mind  me." 

"  I  will  try  not  to,  though  you  are  irritating.  We  will 
begin  to  read,  say  to-morrow.  Come  to  my  place,  Hark- 
away,  and  you,  Harvey,  I  already  reckon  upon  as  my 
pupils." 

"  It  must  be  in  the  afternoon  sir,  because  of  lectures," 
said  Jack. 

"Very  well  ;  make  it  between  two  and  four." 

"That  will  do  for  me,  Mr.   Pole,''  said  Sir  Sydney. 

"Mole,  sir;  not  Pole,"  cried  Mr.  Mole,  in  high  dudg- 
geon. 

"It's  all  the  same.  I'll  write  it  down  when  you've 
gone,  and  study  it,  so  you  musn't  get  your  back  up,  my 
dear  Mr.  Foal." 

"  Confound  it,  sir,  a  foal  is  the  young  of  the  horse  !  " 
almost  shrieked  Mole. 

"  Ah  !  so  it  is  !  Your  name  is  Cole,  I've  got  it  now. 
I'll  think  of  the  fire,  and  then  I  shall  remember." 

"  It's  an  M,  not  a  C,"  he  groaned. 

"Never  mind;  I've  got  the  sound  of  it,  now,  and  I 
shall  soon  have  it  all  right,  Mr.  Toll  You  said  Toll,  didn't 
you  ?  I'll  think  of  turnpikes  and  paying  toll.  It's  all  right.  * 

Mr.  Mole  uttered  a  subdued  sigh. 

"  Anything  the  matter  ?  "  asked  Sir  Sydney.  "  I  hope 
you're  not  worse.  Try  some  beer." 

"  It  is  too  early,  thank  you  all  the  same.  What  booki 
are  you  reading  ? " 


60  JACK  HARKA WA  Y  AT  OXFORL 

l'Oh!  some  Greek  and  Roman  buffers.  What  are  their 
names?  Tacitus,  Herodotus — good  name.  that.  Not  so 
easy  to  remember,  though,  as  yours,  Mr.  Hole." 

Another  groan  broke  from  Mr.  Mole. 

"  Wrong  again,  ami?  Yours  is  a  deuced  hard  name 
to  recollect.  Of  course  it's  Dole.  I've  got  it  now.  What 
an  ass  I  must  be." 

Mr.  Mole  was  about  to  make  an  impatient  exclamation, 
when  there  was  an  explosion. 

Fiz  !  bang  !  went  the  cigar  he  was  smoking. 

Mr.  Mole,  throwing  himself  backwards,  lay  on  the 
floor,  shouting  wildly  for  help,  his  face  scorched  and 
blackened 

"Why,  what  is  the  matter  with  the  weed?"  asked  Sir 
Sydney. 

Harvey  assisted  Mr.  Mole  to  rise,  and  gave  him  a  glass 
of  water. 

"Sir  Sydney  Dawson,"  he  cried,  "  you  have  committed 
a  breach  of  hospitality.  The  trick,  from  the  effects  of 
which  I  am  a  sufferer,  was  a  shameful  one." 

'  •'  Ton  my  word,  sir,  it  wasn't  my  fault  I "  said  Sir 
Sydney. 

Mr.  Mole  was  seized  with  a  serious  attack  of  hiccoughs, 
and  staggered  about  alarmingly. 

' '  Hold,  up,  sir, "  said  Jack.    ' '  You're  all  over  the  shop. " 

"  The  gentleman's  got  the  staggers,"  said  Sir  Sydney, 
"Give  him  some  brandy." 

A  glass  of  spirits  revived  him. 

When  he  recovered  himself,  he  shook  his  fist  at  Hark- 
away,  saying — 

"You  are  all  in  it.  I  consider  it  an  outrage,  and  you 
shall  none  of  you  be  my  pupils !  " 

"  You  have  got  a  nerve,"  said  Jack 

"  Nerve  or  no  nerve,  I  did  think  I  should  have  a  little 
peace  up  here.  You  call  yourselves  young  men,  and 
behave  like  children.  I  will  not  stop  with  you  !  * 

He  walked  towards  the  door. 

Jack  put  out  his  foot,  and  he  very  cleanly  tumbled  over 

There  were  some  goldfish  in  a  bowl  on  a  stand,  and  as 
he  fell  his  head  went  right  into  the  water. 

The  fish  and  the  water  went  over  his  face  and  neck, 
and  with  his  hair  full  of  sand,  and  a  small  fish  sticking  in 


J  A  CX  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  6 1 

iis  right  ear,  he  ran  out  on  the  landing,  and  was  soon 
afterwards  seen  scudding  across  the  quad  as  if  he  had  a 
pack  of  hounds  at  his  heels. 

When  Sir  Sydney  had  finished  laughing  at  the  undigni- 
fied exit  of  Mr.  Mole,  he  said  :  "By  Jove!  this  is  not 
vight.  I  must  write  a  letter  of  apology. " 

"Oh,  Mole's  used  to  it,"  answered  Jack.  "We  have 
had  him  in  training  for  some  time." 

"He  did  not  seem  to  like  it." 

"  That's  his  way." 

It  being  time  to  attend  lectures,  they  separated,  and 
Sir  Sydney,  to  his  disgust  met  the  proctor,  who  had  not 
forgotten  him. 

He  received  a  severe  lecture,  and  a  long  imposition, 
which  was  the  eclogues  of  Virgil  to  write  out  and  trans- 
slate,  and  was  told  to  be  careful,  or  he  would  be  sent 
away  for  six  months. 

He  did*  not  think  of  doing  the  punishment  himself. 

When  he  reached  his  room,  he  said  to  his  scout,  who 
was  our  friend,  Mr.  Buster,  the  attendant  upon  Jack — 

"Look  here.  Buster,  go  and  get  me  some  fellow  to 
write  out  and  translate  Virgil's  eclogues.  Get  it  done  soon 
and  pay  him  what  he  likes." 

"  I  know  a  gentleman,  sir,  in  this  college  who  will  do 
it,"  replied  Buster. 

"What,  a  St.  Aldate's  man  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir.  He's  one  of  the  poor  gents  who  come  up 
as  senators.  Marks  the  names  in  the  chapel,  and  serves  as 
Bible  clerk,  and  all  that.  Gets  about  a  hundred  a  year  to 
live  upon.  Not  a  gentleman  commoner  like  you,  sir." 

"You  wouldn't  like  him  for  a  master,  eh,  Bustef  ?  Not 
much  to  be  made  out  of  him." 

The  scout  grinned. 

"  I  can't  abide  a  poor  person,  sir.  I  don't  like  myself 
sometimes,  cos  I'm  poor,"  he  replied. 

"  Poor  !  you're  not  poor.  Now,  I'll  bet,  if  I  wanted  a 
fifty,  you  could  lend  it  me/'  said  Sir  Sydney,  lighting  a 
fresh  cigar. 

"  Well,  sir,  if  you'd  give  me  sixty  for  fifty  for  a  month, 
I'd  strain  a  point." 

"You  would,  eh?" 

"Oh,  yes,  sir;  cert'n'y,  sir." 

"Get  out   of  my   sight,   you  money-making  villain! 


62  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFO::i). 

exclaimed  Sir  Sydney.  "And,  look  here,  sport  my  oak. 
1  want  to  be  quiet  for  an  hour. " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  And  look  here,  Buster.  Go  to  the  stable,  and  order 
my  dogcart  to  be  ready  at  three,  tell  them  to  put  the 
bays  to  and  hitch  up  the  curbs  tight,  those  bays  are  reg- 
ular devils  to  shy." 

"Cert'n'y,  sir." 

The  scout  lingered  to  see  if  his  master  had  any  other 
command,  and  had  just  neared  the  door  when  Sir  Sydney 
exclaimed — 

"What  is  the  name  of  the  fellow  who  is  going  to  do 
my  imposition  ? " 

"Name  of  Franklin,  sir." 

"  How  will  you  get  at  him  ?  " 

"Through  his  scout,  sir.  His  scout  and  me,  sir,  is 
pals,"  replied  Buster. 

' '  What  do  you  mean  to  charge  me  ?  " 

"A  fiver  won't  hurt  you,  sir." 

"  How  much  will  Franklin  get  out  of  that  ?  " 

1 '  Well,  sir,  we  shall  sweat  it  a  bit.  There  will  be  a 
pound  to  his  scout,  and  a  pound  to  me,  and " 

"  Get  out  of  my  sight,  or  I'll  twist  your  neck.  Hang 
your  impudence,  get  out !  "  shouted  Sir  Sydney,  half- 
angry  half-amused. 

Buster  retreated. 

"  I'll  go  and  see  this  Franklin  myself,"  muttered  Sir 
Sydney.  "I  wonder  what  a  poor  man  at  Oxford  is  like. 
Is  he  a  gentleman  ?  The  colleges  were  once  full  of  poor 
men.  I  should  like  to  see  him.  At  present,  I've  only 
Jnet  with  fellows  like  myself.  Perhaps  an  hour  or  two 
with  a  poor  man  would  do  me  good,  always  supposing 
he's  a  gentleman.  I  can't  stand  a  cad." 

He  rose  and  looked  out  of  the  window. 

"By  Jove!"  he  exclaimed,  "there  is  Harkaway  talk- 
ing to  Kemp  in  the  quad.  Wonders  will  never  cease.  I 
thought  everybody  had  cut  the  chousing  scoundrel.  It's 
odd  Harkaway  should  talk  to  the  fellow  he  showed  up. " 

He  paused  and  watched  them  for  a  few  minutes. 

"I'll  lay  my  life,"  he  went  on,  "that  Kemp  is  asking 
him  a  favour.  I  can  see  it  in  his  manner.  There  is  some- 
thing on.  I  must  get  this  out  of  Jack  when  I  see  him." 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  63 

CHAPTER  X. 

WHAT   KEMP   WANTED. 

JACK  was  going  across  the  outer  quad  of  St.  Aldate's 
when  Kemp  met  him. 

He  felt  rather  surprised  that  he  should  stop  him,  after 
the  way  in  which  he  had  exposed  his  cheating  at  cards. 

But  being  of  a  good-natured  disposition,  he  exclaimed — 

"What  can  I  do  for  you  ?  " 

"  I  scarcely  expected,  my  dear  fellow,  that  you  would 
speak  to  me,"  replied  Kemp. 

"I  shouldn't  have  spoken  to  you  first ;  so  you  needn't 
make  any  mistake  about  that,"  answered  Jack. 

"Well,  I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  conde- 
scension," said  Kemp,  with  a  slight  tinge  of  sarcasm  in 
his  tone. 

"  Don't  apologise.     Cut  it  short." 

"  Come  to  my  rooms  ;  we  can  talk  better  there." 

"  No,"  replied  Jack,  decisively. 

"  Let  me  come  to  your  rooms  then." 

"  No,"  said  Jack,  again.      "  I  can't  do  that  either." 

**  Very  well,  I  suppose  you  must  have  your  own  way, 
A  wilful  man  won't  be  led.  I  haven't  much  to  say,  but 
what  I  have  is  important  to  me." 

"Spit  it  out,  then,  and  look  sharp." 

"You  needn't  be  in  such  a  hurry." 

"  Business,  my  dear  fellow.  I  am  going  down  to  the 
river  side,  and  if  you  will  walk  with  me  through  the  Christ 
Church  meadows  to  the  St.  Aldate's  Barge,  you're 
welcome." 

' '  All  right ;  let  me  take  your  arm. " 

' '  Really,  you  must  excuse  me, "  replied  Jack.  ' '  I  don't 
want  to  hurt  any  fellow's  feelings,  but  when  a  fellow  does  a 
seedy  thing,  you  know,  it  isn't  the  cheese  to  be  seen  hand 
in  glove  with  him." 

A  deep  flush  came  over  Kemp's  face. 

It  was  not  a  nice  face  at  any  time,  and  when  angry 
passions  tormented  his  soul  and  found  expression  in  his 
eyes  it  became  more  disagreeable  than  usual. 

"That's  just  what  I  wanted  to  talk  about.     You  see," 


64  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

he  said,  "that  I  have  got  my  hand  out  of  the  sling,  so 
you  did  not  hurt  me  so  very  much  after  all,  when  you 
drove  that  infernal  fork  through  my  fist." 

"Glad  of  it.  Didn't  want  to  mark  you  for  life,"  an- 
swered Jack. 

"  But  you  have  though.     Look  at  that." 

Kemp  held  up  his  hand,  and  showed  a  scar  which  time 
would  never  efface. 

"  It  was  all  your  own  fault,"  said  Jack. 

"  No,  it  wasn't,  old  man,  and  that's  what  I  want  to  ex- 
lain.  Frank  Davis  is  ready  to  swear  that  he  saw  that 
confounded  monkey  of  yours  put  the  card  on  the  table." 

"  How  did  your  hand  get  on  it,  then  ?  " 

' '  I  can't  tell.     By  accident,  I  suppose.     I'll  swear " 

"'Swear  not  at  all,' "  replied  Jack,  smiling.  "It's  a 
bad  habit." 

"Well,  I  don't  want  you  to  believe  me,  but  will  you 
mind  coming  to  Davis's  rooms  to-night  and  hearing  what 
he  has  to  sr.y  about  it?  " 

"I  do  not  like  Davis,"  said  Jack.  "We  met  at  Singa- 
pore, and  lie  did  r.ot  behave  well.** 

"  Strain  a  point  for  once.  Think  how  I  have  been  cut 
and  looked  down  upon,  owing  to  that  beastly  card  affair," 
pleaded  Kemp. 

"I  don't  see  what  I  can  do  to  help  you,"  said  Jack. 

"You  might  put  me  right  with  the  fellows  in  our  set." 

"  I  have  no  ^ry  strong  inclination  to  try." 

"I  always  thought  you  a  good-hearted  fellow,  and  I 
declare  I  w:  •.  not  to  blame  in  the  matter.  It  was  all  that 
monkey.  Will  you  come  ?  " 

"I  don't  mind  looking  in  for  half  an  hour;  but  you 
need  not  go  howling  all  over  college  about  it,"  replied  Jack. 

"  I  swear  I  won't  say  a  word^to  a  soul,  if  you'll  only 
come,"  said  Kemp,  earnestly. 

"  Very  well  ;  tell  Davis  he  may  expect  me  about  eight 

J  3.,    13.  ! 

"  Good-bye,"  replied  Kernp. 

Jack  went  on  towards  the  river  and  Kemp  made  his 
way  to  Davis's  rooms. 

The  latter  was  expecting  him. 

^  He  was  sitting  in  an  arm-chair,  smoking  a  pipe,  and 
sipping  brandy  and  soda. 

"  Well  !  "  he  exclaimed,  "will  he  come?  " 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  6$ 

"Yes,"  answered  Kemp.  "  I  have  worked  it  all  right, 
and  did  not  have  so.much  difficulty  as  I  expected.  You 
must  make  him  believe  it  was  the  fault  of  the  monkey. 
I  can't  stand  being  cut  by  Dawson  and  all  my  old  friends." 

"I  should  think  not,"  said  Davis  with  a  laugh.  "How 
much  a  year  was  Dawson  worth  to  you  at  cards  and 
billiards  ?  " 

"What  does  that  matter  to  you?"  replied  Kemp,  sav- 
agely. "You  hate  this  man  Harkaway,  don't  you?  " 

"Just  a  few  !  " 

"And  you  want  me  to  help  you  to  ruin  him  ?  " 

"Yes,  and  I  have  promised  to  pay  you  for  it." 

"  I  don't  want  payment  for  I  now  hate  him  as  much  as 
you,"  said  Kemp.  "  But  there  are  several  reasons  why 
I  wish  to  put  myself  right  with  Dawson." 

"  I  dare  say  there  are.  No  man  likes  to  be  called  a 
card-sharper,"  replied  Davis  with  his  irritating  laugh. 

"Look  here,"  exclaimed  Kemp,  angrily,  "you  will 
chaff  me  once  too  often." 

"What  then?  " 

"  Don't  make  me  wild.  I  don't  want  to  quarrel  with 
you.  Dawson  is  going  to  ride  a  horse  next  week,  against 
the  Duke  of  Woodstoke." 

"He's  a  Magdalen  man,  isn't  he?" 

"We  call  it  Maudlin,  not  Magdalen," 

"  I  stand  corrected,"  said  Davis.     "  Forge  ahead." 

"There  isn't  a  better  rider  in  Oxford  than  Sir  Sydney 
Dawson,  if  he  only  keeps  himself  sober  and  his  nerves 
right,"  continued  Kemp. 

"Which  is  exactly  what  you  don't  want  him  to  do,  I 
suppose  ?  " 

"No.  I've  bet  against  him,  because  I  knew  if  I  had 
him  in  hand,  he'd  have  D.  T.  before  the  race." 

' '  Released  from  your  control,  1  suppose  he  treads  the 
path  of  virtue  ?  " 

"  Harkaway,  you  see,  is  a  very  different  man  from  me," 
said  Kemp,  "and  he  is  Dawson's  great  chum  now/' 

"Which  makes  all  the  difference." 

' '  Precisely.  Dawson's  horse,  Go-ahead,  is  as  fine  a  flyer 
as  I  ever  saw,  and  the  Duke's  horse,  Wild  Irishman,  won't 
be  in  the  hunt  with  him  if  Dawson  keeps  himself  straight." 

"  Hope  he  won't  for  your  sake,  if  you've  made  a  book 
against  him." 
5 


66  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  It's  all  very  well  for  you  to  laugh  at  me,"  sai6 
Kemp.  "You're  a  rich  man  ;  I'm  a  poor  man,  and  I  have 
to  live  like  a  gentleman  on  how  much  a  year,  do  you 
think  ?  " 

"  Hate  guessing  ;  shan't  try,"  replied  Davis,  refilling 
his  pipe. 

"A  beggarly  hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  while  I  dare- 
say you  have  five  hundred,  and  expect  your  debts  to  be 
paid  into  the  bargain." 

"Well,  I  can't  grumble  at  the  pecuniary  arrangements. 
I  am  not  tied  down." 

"You  don't  like  me  really,"  continued  Kemp,  "you 
only  chum  in  with  me  because  you  hate  Harkaway,  and 
think  I  shall  be  useful  to  you." 

"I'll be  candid  for  once  in  my  life  and  admit  that  you 
are  right, "  answered  Davis. 

"There  is  another  thing,"  said  Kemp,  "you  want  to 
get  into  Sir  Sydney  Dawson's  set,  and  Harkaway  has  said 
too  much  about  you." 

"What  about  me?  "  asked  Davis,  fiercely. 

"  Oh,  nothing  much.  Some  chaff  about  your  perform- 
ances in  Singapore  ;  that's  all.  I  merely  mentioned  this 
to  show  that  we  are  useful  to  one  another." 

"I've  told  you  I'll  back  you  in  any  villany  you  like  to 
get  up,"  said  Davis,  "if  the  end  is  to  be  Harkaway's  ruin. 
Isn't  that  enough  for  you  ?  " 

"  More  than  enough.  I  thought  you  were  getting 
faint-hearted,"  said  Kemp. 

"  Not  I.  If  he  comes  to-night,  don't  forget  the  loaded 
dice." 

"  I  have  them  in  my  pocket,"  replied  Kemp. 

"  And  the  drug?  " 

"Yes!" 

:  There  will  be  only  you  and  I  and  Harkaway,  and  we 
will  induce  him  to  play  high  at  hazard  or  cards.  If  he 
can't  pay,  which  I  don't  suppose  he  can,  as  men  don't 
generally  carry  hundreds  of  pounds  about  with  them  in 
their  pockets,  we  will  take  his  bills  and  get  old  Manasses 
to  give  us  the  money  for  them." 

"  That  will  do  ;  in  three  months  he  will  have  to  pay 
the  money,"  said  Kemp. 

"If  he  can.  More  likely,  he  will  have  to  leave  the 
university,"  said  Davis,  with  a  sinister  smile. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  67 

"That's  what  we  want.  Anything  that  will  tend  to 
lower  and  disgrace  Harkaway,  will  do  us  good." 

"  Of  course,  but  take  my  advice  and  don't  bustle  the 
man.  He  won't  stand  any  nonsense,"  said  Davis. 

' '  I  know  that,  and  don't  mean  to  rush  him ;  leave  him 
to  me.  If  he  comes  into  these  rooms  to-night,  it  will  lay 
the  foundation  of  his  ruin,"  remarked  Kemp  emphatically. 

"  I  hope  so,  with  all  my  heart,"  replied  Davis.  "  I 
could  die  happy  if  I  saw  him  go  to  smash." 

He  spoke  with  such  deep  hatred  that  there  was  littJ^ 
doubt  he  meant  what  he  said. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

JACK'S  BRAVERY  ON  THE  RIVER. 

WHILE  Davis  and  Kemp  were  calmly  plotting  how  to 
ruin  Jack,  the  latter  was  going  down  to  the  water-side. 

The  bank  of  the  Isis  at  the  bottom  of  the  Christ-Church 
meadows,  is  in  term  time  one  of  the  prettiest  sights  in 
Oxford. 

Each  college  has  its  handsomely-built  barge  moored  a 
little  way  from  the  shore. 

In  each  barge  is  a  reading  and  writing-room,  and  facil- 
ities for  changing  or  putting  on  boating  costumes,  while 
on  the  roof  is  an  agreeable  lounge,  where  a  man  can 
smoke  or  talk  or  watch  the  various  crafts  on  the  water. 

The  St.  -Aldate's  barge  was  one  of  the  handsomest  on 
the  river,  and  Jack  was  punted  over  to  it  with  some  other 
men  of  the  college. 

In  a  short  time  the  college  eight  was  going  up  to 
Sandford  for  a  spin,  and  Jack  was  to  row  seven  in  her. 

Tom  Garden  had  a  critical  eye,  and  he  had  picked 
Harkaway  out  as  a  likely  oar  directly  he  saw  him  afloat. 

He  had  great  bodily  strength,  and  what  was  of  more 
importance,  he  was  thoroughly  at  home  in  a  boat  and 
possessed  skill. 

This  he  had  acquired  through  his  being  at  sea  for  so 
long  a  time. 

"Tell  you  what,  old  fellow,"  said  Garden,  "if  you 
continue  to  improve  on  your  present  form  and  sink  a  few 


68  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

pounds  of  flesh,  111  get  you  into  the  Varsity  eight  next 
year. " 

' '  Will  you  really  ?  "  said  Jack,  whose  face  flushed  with 
pleasure. 

"  I  will,  by  Jove  !" 

To  have  the  high  honour  of  rowing  in  the  university 
eight  in  his  first  year,  was  enough  to  please  a  less  ambi- 
tious boy  than  Jack. 

He  fancied  he  could  see  the  excited  thousands  on  the 
banks,  as  the  boats  shot  along  between  Putney  and  Moft- 
lake. 

Already  shouts  rang  in  his  ears,  of  "  Oxford  wins.  No, 
she  don 't  ;  Cambridge  leads.  No,  Oxford,  has  it.  Oxford, 
Oxford  for  ever !  " 

He  had  begun  to  love  dear  old  Oxford,  and  took  a  pride 
in  everything  which  related  to  the  university. 

Especially  he  was  proud  of  his  own  college,  St.  Aldate's. 

It  happened  that  several  of  the  St.  Aldate's  crew  did 
not  turn  up. 

Tom  Garden  was  very  much  annoyed. 

"  We  can't  go  down,"  he  said  to  Jack,  "  unless  we  get 
some  watermen  to  fill  up." 

"  Oh,  hang  the  watermen,"  replied  Jack  ;  "  put  off  the 
spin  till  to-morrow  and  look  our  fellows  up  well ;  they 
deserve  a  good  jacketing. " 

"  So  they  do.  We  shall  never  get  to  the  head  of  the 
river  like  this.  Men  must  train  and  work  if  they  wrant  to 
do  anything,"  said  Garden. 

' '  Of  course  they  must  Work  first  and  play  afterwards  ; 
it  can't  be  all  play." 

Tom  Garden  buttoned  his  boating-coat  round  him,  and 
sat  sulkily  looking  at  the  water. 

"  I  shall  go  for  a  paddle,  I  think,  in  a  canoe,"  exclaimed 
Jack. 

"  Don't  for  goodness'  sake  waste  your  time  in  one  of 
those  abominations,"  said  Garden.  "  I  hate  a  canoe  for 
real  work.  It  spoils  your  form  and  knocks  you  out  of 
shape.  Get  into  a  tub  and  sweat  up  to  Iffley  and  back  ; 
with  this  wind  in  your  teeth  it  will  do  you  good." 

"  You're  not  an  easy  master,"  cried  Jack,  laughing. 

"  It's  no  good  being  too  easy,  if  you've  got  to  get  a 
spanking  good  crew  together,  I  can  tell  you  ;  and  you 
fellows  want  as  much  looking  after  as  a  lot  of  babies." 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  69 

"  Thank  you  for  the  compliment.  Well,  I'll  do  a  little 
treadmill  in  a  skiff  for  an  hour  or  two  before  hall.  Good- 
bye !  See  you  when  I  come  back  ?  " 

"  Don't  know  that  you  will.  I  shall  slope  off  and  run 
along  the  bank  for  a  mile  after  Oriel.  I  want  to  see  what 
stuff  they  have  got  in  the  boat. " 

"  Look  sharp,  then,"  said  Jack.  "  Oriel  is  in  the  Gut 
now." 

Garden  got  across  the  river,  and  was  soon  jogging  along 
after  the  Oriel  boat  while  Jack  had  a  skiff  made  ready  for 
him,  and  started  on  his  voyage. 

Pulling  with  strength  and  skill,  he  drew  ahead  to  the 
admiration  of  all  who  saw  him. 

"  That's  a  likely  oar,"  remarked  the  captain  of  the 
Oxford  University  Boat  Club,  who  was  on  the  top  of  the 
Exeter  barge. 

"  Deuced  good  form,"  replied  the  knowing  little  cox- 
swain of  the  O.  U.  B.  C. 

"  Don't  any  fellow  know  who  he  is  ? " 

"Gad!"  exclaimed  a  handsome  young  man  with  a 
dissipated  look,  who  was  the  rich  Duke  of  Woodstock. 
"  His  name's  Harkaway." 

"What  college?" 

"  St.  Aldate's.  I  met  him  at  Dawson's  rooms  one 
night ;  decent  fellow,  Dawson.  I'm  going  to  ride  against 
Dawson,  you  know,  in  the  steeple-chase." 

"Sir  Sydney  Dawson?"  said  the  captain  of  the 
O.  U.  B.  C. 

' '  Yaas.  •  A  baronet  fellow.  Good  family,  aw  believe. 
Yaas,"  replied  the  duke. 

Jaick  was  unconscious  of  this  conversation,  and  was 
getting  into  his  swing  off  the  mouth  of  the  Cherwell  when 
he  heard  a  scream. 

It  was  a  woman's  voice. 

Turning  his  head,  he  saw  an  ordinary  rowing  boat  in 
the  act  of  swamping. 

A  little  cutter  yacht  had  run  into  her. 

The  boat  contained  an  elderly  man  and  a  young  girl. 

In  a  second  they  were  both  struggling  in  the  water. 

"  Those  on  board  the  yacht  which  had  done  the  mis- 
chief, were  able  to  seize  the  old  man  by  the  arm  and  haul 
him  on  deck. 

The  girl,  meanwhile,  drifted  down  the  stream. 


jo  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

For  a  time  her  clothes  supported  her. 

The  old  man,  who  was  her  father,  cried  loudly — 

' '  My  daughter  !  oh,  save  my  daughter  !  For  the  love  of 
Heaven,  gentlemen,  save  Hilda,  or  let  me  die  with  her  !  " 

It  required  all  the  strength  of  those  who  held  him  to 
keep  him  from  precipitating  himself  into  the  water. 

"  Hilda  !  " 

Jack  thought  he  had  heard  that  name  somewhere  before. 

Could  it  be  the  daughter  of  old  Manasses,  the  Jew 
money-lender. 

Was  it  the  girl  who  had  treated  him  and  his  compan- 
ions so  coldly  on  the  night  of  the  town  and  gown  row  in 
the  corn-market? 

He  had  not  much  time  for  consideration. 

The  girl,  whoever  she  was,  seemed  to  be  rapidly  losing 
her  strength. 

Shipping  his  sculls,  Jack  stood  on  the  seat  of  his  boat 
and  took  a  header. 

Diving  and  swimming  through  the  water  like  an  otter, 
he  speedily  made  his  way  to  the  drowning  girl. 

His  progress  was  watched  with  the  utmost  anxiety 
and  interest  from  the  nearest  of  the  college  barges. 

"  Bravo  !  well  swam  !  Another  minute  and  he  will 
have  her,"  cried  the  captain  of  the  yacht. 

Just  as  she  was  sinking,  Jack  caught  her  by  her  lovely 
hair. 

Drawing  her  up,  he  put  his  arm  round  her  waist,  and 
swam  with  his  disengaged  one  to  the  shore. 

A  punt  which  had  put  off  to  his  assistance  picked  him 
up  before  he  had  gone  far  with  his  beautiful  burden. 

She  lay  like  a  log  of  wood  on  his  arm. 

Exhausted  by  struggling  with  the  water,  she  had  fainted. 

When  Jack  reached  the  land  in  the  punt,  into  which  he 
had  been  drawn,  still  bearing  the  girl  in  his  embrace,  the 
father  uttered  a  shout  of  joy. 

He  fell  on  his  knees  and  thanked  Providence  for  the 
timely  salvation  of  his  daughter. 

As  soon  as  possible  the  yachtmen  landed  the  old  man, 
and  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  his  child  open  her 
eyes. 

Seizing  Jack  by  the  hand,  he  shook  it  cordially,  and 
exclaimed — 

"Young  man,  I  thank  you  from  my  heart.     May  all 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WA  Y  A  T  OXFORD.  7 1 

the  blessings  of  the  earth  be  poured  upon  your  head  by 
the  Lord  of  Israel  !  " 

"  I  am  very  glad  the  young  lady  is  saved,"  replied  Jack 
modestly. 

"  You  have  saved  her? " 

"Any  one  else  would  have  done  the  same." 

"No  !  no  !  "  exclaimed  the  old  man.  " Give  honour  to 
whom  honour  is  due.  You  are  her  rescuer.  Whenever 
you  want  a  friend,  come  to  me.  I  will  never  forget  this 
day's  work.  If  I  do,  may  my  right  hand  wither,  and  my 
money  fade  away  like  the  leaves  of  autumn  !  " 

A  large  crowd  had  collected  round  the  girl  and  her  father. 

Thinking  he  could  not  be  of  any  further  use,  Jack  backed 
his  way  out. 

He  was  tapped  on  the  shoulder  as  he  extricated  himself 
from  the  throng. 

"You're  a  nice  kind  of  water-rat  to  go  swimming  after 
girls,"  said  a  voice. 

It  was  Sir  Sydney  Dawson, 

"It's  nothing,"  replied  Jack. 

"Isn't  it,  by  Jove?  You've  done  a  deuced  fine  thing. 
Every  one  is  talking  about  you,  and  asking  who  you  are  ' 

"Pity  they  haven't  something  better  to  do,"  answered 
Jack. 

"You're  getting  your  name  up  in  Oxford,  old  man  ;  and 
I  repeat  you  have  done  a  deuced  fine  thing." 

"  For  whom  ?  " 

"Yourself.  Don't  you  know  who  the  girl  is?"  asked 
Sir  Sydney. 

"  I  am  hardly  certain." 

"You've  a  bad  memory  then  for  faces.  I  thought  that 
every  man  who  had  ever  done  a  bit  of  stiff  knew  old 
Manasses'  hooked  nose  a  mile  off." 

"Is  she  Hilda  Manasses ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"That's  who  she  is,  and  as  fine  a  spoon  as  there  is  in 
Oxford." 

"I  don't  think  any  one  would  get  much  spooning  out 
of  her.  She  seems  as  cold  as  a  stone,"  replied  Jack. 

"She's  been  out  driving  with  the  Duke  of  Woodstock 
anyhow,"  said  Dawson. 

"Then  I'll  swear  she  has  a  motive  for  it.  That  girl  is 
purity  itself,  I'll  stake  my  honour." 

"  Hullo  !  hit  already  ?  "  cried  Sir  Sydney,  laughing.      "  I 


7  2  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

thought  you  told  me  you  were  engaged  to  a  certain  little 
Emily." 

"  What  has  that  got  to  do  with  it? " 

"A  great  deal." 

"  I'm  only  saying  that— in  fact,  I  believe — that  is— hang 
it  all,  Dawson,  you  know  what  I  mean. " 

Jack  spoke  in  some  confusion. 

"I  don't  know  a  little  bit  what  you  mean,"  answered 
Sir  Sydney.  "All  I  know  is  that  you  can  borrow  any 
amount  of  money  you  like  from  old  Manasses  after  this, 

and  that  Hilda,  bless  her Don't  hit  me,  if  I  blow  a 

kiss  to  her." 

' '  What  rot  !  "  returned  Jack.      ' '  Hilda's  nothing  to  me. " 

"No,  of  course  not.  You're  a  saint.  A  man  who  is 
engaged  to  one  girl  never  looks  at  another,"  said  Sir 
Sydney,  banteringly. 

"  He  ought  not  to." 

"  Of  course  not.  We  know  all  about  that.  You  won't 
think  anything  more  of  the  lovely  Hilda.  You  won't 
repeat  her  name  to  yourself,  and  think  how  pretty  she  is, 
and  what  a  claim  you  have  on  her  gratitude.  You  won't 
see  her  face  when  you  shut  your  eyes.  You " 

"  Shut  up,  for  goodness' sake,  Dawson,"  exclaimed  Jack, 
crossly. 

His  tormentor,  however,  would  not  let  him  alone. 

"You  won't  hate  the  Duke  of  Woodstock,  for  driving 
her  out,"  he  continued. 

"  Bother  Woodstock  !  "  said  Jack. 

"I  told  you  so  ;  you  begin  to  hate  him  already.  Never 
mind,  I  am  going  to  ride  in  a  steeple-chase  against  him 
and  some  other  fellows,  next  week,  and  you  will  see  me 
come  in  first,  which  will  be  a  slight  revenge  for  you." 

"I  hope  you  may  win,"  said  Jack,  anxious  to  change 
the  subject. 

"  So  do  I.  The  fact  is,  I  have  bet  heavily  on  the  event, 
and  so  have  most  of  my  friends.  That  fellow  Kemp  has, 
I  think,  laid  against  me.  By  the  way,  I  saw  you  talking 
to  him  to-day  ;  what  did  he  want  with  you? — if  it  is  not 
an  impertinent  question." 

"  I  have  promised  to  go  to  Davis's  room.  Kemp  says 
Davis  can  explain  how  the  card  came  under  his  hand." 

"  I  don't  believe  it,  and  if  I  were  you,  I  would  not  go/ 
said  Sir  Sydney. 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  73 

•'I  gave  him  my  word  I  would." 

"If  you  have  been  weak  enough  to  promise  to  go,  that's 
another  thing." 

"The  fact  is,"  said  Jack,  "  I  don't  like  to  do  any  fellow 
an  injustice,  and  if  I  was  wrong,  I  will  make  it  up  to  him." 

"If  you  are  satisfied,  and  make  it  up  to  him,  I  suppose 
we  must  have  him  in  our  set  again,  though  I  tell  you 
frankly,  I  don't  like  it,"  said  Sir  Sydney.  "  Here's  Car- 
den.  Well,  my  gay  and  gallant  waterman,  what  are  the 
prospects  of  the  St.  Aldate's  ? "  he  added. 

"  Very  good,"  replied  Garden,  "if  the  men  would  only 
stick  to  their  work  and  not  shirk.  I  hear  Harkaway  has 
done  a  plucky  thing,  and  saved  a  girl's  life." 

"I  was  lucky  enough  to  be  near  the  spot  when  the  girl 
was  in  the  water,"  said  Jack. 

"Come  to  my  rooms  and  poke  a  smipe.  I  haven't  had 
a  whiff  of  'bacca  since  breakfast,"  said  Garden. 

Jack  assented,  and  they  went  away  together. 

In  the  evening  he  turned  up,  as  he  had  promised,  at 
Davis's  rooms. 

Kemp  and  Davis  were  rattling  dice  in  a  box,  and  play- 
ing hazard,  but  they  stopped  when  he  entered. 

"This  is  kind  of  you,  Harkaway,"  said  Kemp. 

"Take  the  easy-chair  near  the  fire,  and  make  yourself 
at  home,"  said  Davis,  adding,  "what  will  you  have?" 

"Coffee,  thanks,"  said  Jack. 

The  scout  quickly  made  some  coffee. 

"Take  it  black?"  asked  Davis. 

"Yes,  no  milk,  and  just  a  nip  of  brandy  after." 

While  he  was  drinking  the  coffee,  Davis  began  to  explain 
that  he  was  sure  the  monkey  must  have  put  the  card  on  the 
table,  and  he  was  so  earnest,  that  Jack  began  to  believe  him. 

"We  were  all  more  or  less  tight,"  he  continued. 

"I  know  I  was,"  said  Kemp. 

"  If  that  is  the  case,  I'm  sorry  I  hurt  you,"  said  Jack. 
"But  you  must  admit  that  the  circumstances  were  sus- 
picious. " 

"  I  do  admit  it." 

"  Let  us  say  no  more  about  it  I  will  try  and  put  you 
right  with  my  friends,"  Jack  went  on. 

"  Dawson's  the  only  fellow  I  care  about,"  answered 
Kemp.  "You  have  behaved  very  handsomely,  and  I  am 
grateful  to  you." 


7  4  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"We  have  nothing  more  to  say,  have  we?  If  not,  1 
shall  toddle." 

"Have  just  one  shy  with  the  dice  before  you  go,"  said 
Davis,  rattling  the  box  carelessly. 

"I'd  rather  not.     I  have  come  over  sleepy  all  at  once." 

"It's  getting  into  the  water  after  that  girl,"  suggested 
Davis. 

' '  Did  you  hear  of  that  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  it  was  a  fine  thing,  by  Jove  !  Come,  just  one 
shy." 

Ever  since  he  had  taken  the  coffee,  Jack  had  felt  sleepy 
and  stupid. 

Had  he  been  completely  master  of  himself,  he  would 
not  have  been  so  easily  convinced  as  to  Kemp's  innocence. 

What  Davis  had  said  was  in  reality  only  an  assertion. 

But  Kemp  had  artfully  put  an  insidious  chemical  com- 
pound in  the  coffee,  which  made  him  for  a  time  quite 
childish,  and  ready  to  believe  or  do  anything. 

Seizing  the  box  he  rattled  the  dice. 

"Well,  I'll  throw  against  you,  Kemp,  for  a  fiver,  "he  said. 

"Done  with  you,  my  boy,"  said  Kemp. 

They  began  to  play. 

Jack  little  suspected  what  seeds  of  future  misery  he  was 
sowing  that  night. 

It  is  possible  to  be  too  good-natured. 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson  had  given  him  sound  advice,  when 
he  recommended  him  to  keep  away  from  Davis's  rooms 
that  night. 

He  had  fallen  into  a  trap. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

FALLING    INTO   A   TRAP. 

JACK  went  on  playing  though  he  lost  considerably. 

So  confused  was  his  mind  that  he  scarcely  knew  what 
he  was  about 

At  length  Kemp  said — 

"That's  five  hundred  you  owe  me.  You've  no  luck  to 
night.  Shall  we  leave  off?  " 

" No,"  said  Jack  ;  " I'll  go  you  double  or  quits." 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD,  7  5 

"Very  well.  But  this  is  the  last  time,  mind,"  said 
Kemp. 

"  All  right !  fire  away  !  "  cried  Jack,  impatiently. 

"  If  I  win  you  owe  me  a  thousand.  If  you  win  we  are 
quits. " 

"  I'll  throw  first ;  you're  so  infernally  long  about  it !  " 
cried  Jack. 

He  cast  the  dice. 

A  six  and  a  four  came  up. 

"Ten!  "he  cried,  triumphantly.  "Beat  that  if  you 
can  !  " 

Kemp  rattled  the  ivories,  and  let  them  fall  on  the  table. 

"  Sixes  !  "  he  said,  quietly. 

" Two  sixes,  by  Jove  !"  said  Davis.  "Sorry  for  you, 
Harkaway.  You've  lost." 

Jack  looked  blankly  at  his  opponent. 

"You'll  give  me  an  acknowledgment  of  the  debt,"  said 
Kemp.  "It's  always  usual." 

"  What  do  you  want  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"A  promissory  note.      I'll  draw  one  up." 

He  took  a  bill  stamp  from  his  pocket,  and  hastily 
wrote — 

"£i,ooo  os  od. 

"Oxford,  November  17,  18— . 

"Three  months  after  date  I  promise  to  pay  Mr. 
Augustus  Kemp,  or  order,  the  sum  of  one  thousand  pounds, 
for  value  received. 

"To  Augustus  Kemp,  Esq. 

"St.  Aldate's  College,  Oxford." 

"Shove  your  illustrious  name  there,"  said  Kemp,  indi- 
cating the  proper  place  at  the  bottom  of  the  note. 

With  a  trembling  hand  Jack  wrote — 

"John  Harkaway." 

"You're  a  witness,  Davis,"  said  Kemp.  "Not  that  it 
matters  much,  though  in  money  matters  one  can't  be  too 
particular. " 

He  dried  the  ink  on  some  blotting  paper  and  put  the 
note  away  carefully  in  his  pocket-book. 

' '  I  feel  sleepy.  Think  shall  go  sleep, "  said  Jack,  in  a 
stupid  tone. 

"  Do,  old  man.  The  chair's  your  own,  and  a  nap  will 
do  you  good,"  said  Davis. 

"  Just  fort'  winks,  that'sh  all,"  stuttered  Jack. 


76  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

The  next  minute  his  head  fell  back,  his  eyes  closed,  and 
he  was  fast  asleep. 

"That's  well  done,  isn't  it? "said  Kemp,  smiling,  so 
as  to  show  the  lines  of  his  hard  cruel  mouth. 

"  Don't  ask  me,"  said  Davis,  who  never  lost  an  oppor- 
tunity of  showing  his  contempt  for  his  associate. 

"Why  shouldn't  I?" 

"Because  I  never  saw  a  fellow  rooked  before.  It's 
out  of  my  line  of  country,  altogether." 

"I'm  playing  your  game  as  well  as  my  own." 

"  Of  course  you  are,  or  I  wouldn't  lend  myself  to  it.  I 
hate  the  devil's  work  !  " 

"  There  is  no  harm  done,"  said  Kemp. 

"Yes,  there  is.  Suppose  we  were  shown  up, "  replied 
Davis. 

"We  can't  be.  I've  got  him  hard  and  fast.  Who 
knows  I  drugged  him,  except  you  ?  Who  but  you  knew 
that  the  dice  were  loaded,  so  that  I  couldn't  help  win- 
ning?" 

"  Don't  talk  about  it.  The  thing's  done,  and  if  you  are 
satisfied,  I  am." 

"  Is  your  oak  sported  ?  We  mustn't  let  anyone  come 
in  and  find  him  like  this,"  said  Kemp. 

"  It's  shut,  as  tight  as  wax.  I  told  the  scout  as  he  went 
out,"  said  Davis. 

"A  thousand  pounds  is  a  large  sum,"  mused  Kemp. 

"  Where  shall  you  melt  it? " 

"Oh  !  Manasses  will  do  that  for  me.  Harkaway  is  a 
freshman.  His  friends  are  well  off.  He  has  no  paper 
out,  and  no  debts  as  yet  to  speak  of." 

"  His  father  will  take  him  away  from  Oxford  when  he 
finds  all  out,  won't  he  ?  "  asked  Davis. 

"  I  should  think  so.  But  he'll  have  to  pay  me,  or  I'll 
make  his  precious  son  a  bankrupt,"  answered  Kemp 
savagely. 

"  Is  he  asleep  ?  "  asked  Davis,  looking  round  nervously. 

"Yes;  and  likely  to  be  for  the  next  hour  or  two. 
He's  as  quiet  as  a  cast-iron  dog,  I'll  take  my  oath ;  and 
no  more  use  than  a  last  year's  bird's-nest." 

' '  About  this  steeple-chase  ?  What's  your  idea  ?  "  asked 
Davis,  after  a  pause. 

Kemp  was  mixing  himself  some  soda  and  brandy,  from 
which  he  took  a  long  deep  draught 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  77 

"It  would  be  a  deuced  near  thing  if  it  was  run  on  the 
square,"  he  replied. 

"  Dawson  can  ride,  I  believe." 

' '  Ride  !  he's  the  hardest  rider  and  the  hardest  drinker 
in  Oxford." 

"  Bar  one,  and  that's  yourself,"  said  Davis,  laughing. 

"I  never  drink  when  I've  got  anything  to  do,"  an- 
swered Kemp.  "  But  Dawson  is  a  horse-dealer  spoilt." 

Suddenly  there  was  a  knock  at  the  inner  door. 

"By  George!"  cried  Davis,  angrily,  "that  infernal 
scout  of  mine  has  forgotten  to  sport  the  oak. " 

"  Shall  I  go  and  see  who  it  is  ?  "  asked  Kemp. 

"Yes,  do." 

"Are  you  in  to  any  one?" 

' '  Not  to  a  soul  Say  anything  you  like.  Cook  up 
some  lie  or  other." 

"  All  right,  leave  it  to  me,"  said  Kemp,  who  went  to 
the  door. 

A  few  moments  elapsed,  and  then  he  returned,  accom- 
panied by  a  fast-looking  young  man,  who  wore  a  shirt  of 
a  loud  character,  covered  all  over  with  horse-shoes,  a 
horse-shoe  pin,  wide  check  trousers,  very  tight,  and  a 
cutaway  coat. 

He  was  smoking  a  large  cigar. 

Davis  looked  at  him  in  surprise. 

"Aw  weally  must  apologise,"  said  the  stranger.  ' '  But 
you  know  I  was  sent  over  heaw  after  Mr.  Kemp — yaas." 

"Oh,  if  you're  a  friend  of  Kemp's  sit  down  by  all 
means,"  answered  Davis. 

"It's  the  Duke  of  Woodstock,  you  fool,"  whispered 
Kemp. 

"Thank  yeow,"  said  the  duke.  "Don't  mind  if  I  do 
sit  down.  Yaas ;  my  name's  Woodstock.  Kemp  did 
not  introduce  us  ;  but  no  matter.  Think  you  said  Kemp 
was  a  friend  of  mine?  Aw,  not  exactly;  not  a  friend. 
Want  him  to — aw — ride  my  horse — yaas." 

Davis  became  very  civil  all  at  once  when  he  found  his 
visitor  was  the  Duke  of  Woodstock. 

"  I  hope  your  grace  will  pardon  my  apparent  rudeness," 
he  exclaimed;  "but  really  Kemp  brings  such  a  lot  of 
fellows  to  my  rooms  that  I  don't  quite  care  about  it." 

"Aw!  yaas;  lot  of  fellahs  a  nuisance.  Hate  a  lot  of 
fellahs,"  replied  the  duke, 


jS  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"I  thought  you  were  going  to  ride  your  horse  Wild 
Irishman  against  Sir  Sydney  Dawson's  Go-ahead  !  " 
remarked  Davis. 

"Too  much  trouble,  my  deaw  fellah,"  answered  the 
duke.  ';  Nevaw  ride  a  horse  when  you  can  get  a  man  to 
do  it — aw — for  yeow. " 

"Quite  so." 

' '  Fact  of  mattaw  is — aw — that  going  ovaw  the  course 
to-day,  I  came  a  nasty  cropper  at  the  first  fence.  Wall, 
must  have  a  'varsity  man  to — aw — ride  for  you,  and  so  I 
— aw — thought  of  Kemp,  as  my  trainer  recommended 
him  to  me,  as — aw — being — aw — a  good  seat,  and  not 
bad  at  his  fences." 

"  I  shall  be  very  happy  to  ride  your  horse, "said  Kemp, 
who  treated  the  young  duke  coolly,  knowing  that  was 
the  best  way  to  manage  the  conceited  nobleman. 

"  I  should  think  you  would  too ;  lots  of  men  would  be 
glad  of  the  chance,"  said  Davis. 

The  duke  laughed. 

' '  Vewy  good, "  he  said.  ' '  Your  anonymous  friend  can 
say  a  good  thing.  Aw — don't  know  his  name  yet." 

"  Davis,"  replied  Kemp.  "I  forgot  the  formality  of  an 
introduction." 

' '  Aw — bad  plan  that.  Tell  you  a  story  'bout  that — aw, " 
said  the  duke.  "I  was  bathing  last  year  in  the  Lake  of 
Geneva  ;  got  the  cramp  ;  began  to  sink.  Devilish  awk- 
ward thing,  you  know,  cramp.  Ever  had  cramp  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Davis. 

"  Aw — take  my  advice,  and  don't.  Well,  a  man  came 
up  and  wanted  to  save  me.  '  Can't  let  you  do  it,'  said 
I.  '  Don't  know  you.'  '  I'm  Count  Savarin,'  said  he. 
'Oh!  if  you're  a  gentleman,'  said  I,  'I  don't  mind. 
Give  me  your  arm,  please  ; '  and  so  he  swam  me  on 
shore. " 

Davis  laughed. 

"  Good  thing,  that,  Mr. — aw — Davis?"  continued  the 
Duke  of  Woodstock. 

' '  Not  bad, "  answered  Davis.    ' '  But  I  think  I  can  beat  it. " 

"  How?" 

"Well,  I  was  travelling  from  Marseilles  to  Paris.  A 
Frenchman  sat  next  to  me.  He  tried  to  make  me  talk, 
and  I  wouldn't.  All  at  once  he  said — 'Pardon,  monsieur, 
your  cigar  has  set  your  coat  on  fire. ' " 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  7  9 

"  Aw — what  a  disagweeable  thing  to  have — aw — a  coat 
on  fire,"  said  the  duke. 

"  '  Thank  you,'  I  replied,  coldly.  '  Perhaps,  how- 
ever, you'll  mind  your  own  business  another  time.  Your 
coat  has  been  burning  this  half-hour,  and  I  didn't  say 
anything  to  you.'  " 

This  time  the  duke  laughed  in  his  womanly  way. 

"  Can  I  offer  your  grace  anything?  "  said  Davis. 

"  Aw — thanks.     S.  and  B.,  or  hock  and  seltzer." 

"  You  must  excuse  my  friend  in  the  arm-chair.  He 
isn't  very  well,"  continued  Davis,  pointing  to  Harkaway. 

The  duke  made  a  slight  inclination  of  the  head. 

He  was  far  too  well-bred  to  ask  a  lot  of  impertinent 
questions. 

Davis  proceeded  to  do  the  honours,  and  opened  some 
soda  and  brandy  for  his  guest. 

When  his  grace's  thirst  was  quenched,  he  turned  to 
Davis,  and  said — 

"Havel — aw — your  permission  to  talk  to  Mr.  Kemp 
in — aw — your  room  ?  " 

"  Certainly.  If  you  wish  to  talk  privately,  I  will  leave 
you  to  yourselves." 

"  Not  at  all.  Weally,  I  pwotest  against  turning  a  man 
out  of  his  own  place — aw." 

"  Very  well.     Pray  do  as  you  like,"  said  Davis. 

The  duke  prepared  to  speak  to  Kemp  about  the  all-impor- 
tant subject  of  the  coming  steeple-chase. 

In  reality  it  was  important. 

The  whole  of  the  sporting  portion  of  the  university  had 
backed  one  horse  or  the  other. 

Therefore  it  excited  considerable  interest. 

"My  trainer  tells  me,"  said  the  Duke  of  Woodstock, 
"  that  you,  Mr.  Kemp,  and  Sir  Sydney  Dawson  are  the 
two  best  riders  in  college." 

"  Rough  riders,"  said  Kemp.  "  But  rumour  says  Daw- 
son  can  ride  best." 

"  Rumour,  my  dear  fellah,  is  an  awful  liar,"  replied  the 
duke. 

"  I  have  seen  your  horse  and  I  like  him.  He  takes  a 
good  deal  of  riding,  though." 

"  Do  you — aw — think  you  could  beat  this  Dawson 
fellah  ?  "  continued  the  duke. 

"  I'll  bet  a  hundred  to  one  on  it,  and  that's  long  odds. 


go  jA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

If  your  grace  will  entrust  me  with  the  mount,  I'll  land 
your  colours  on  the  post,"  replied  Kemp. 

"  You  shall  have  the  mount  That's  what  I'm  heaw 
for." 

"  You  won't  regret  it." 

"  They  tell  me  that  horse  of  Dawson's — what  do  they 
call  him  ?  " 

"  Go-ahead." 

"  Beastly  name  that,  but  no  matter.  People  say  he's 
got  a  temper,  and  pulls  a  man  out  of  the  saddle." 

"  So  he  does." 

"  Yes  ;  Dawson's  horse  has  a  deuced  queer  temper,  and 
if  he  isn't  well  ridden,  I  wouldn't  give  a  brass  farthing  for 
his — aw — chance. " 

"  I've  seen  the  brute,"  replied  Kemp,  "  and  his  win- 
ning is  all  a  toss-up." 

"  I  stand  to  win  or  lose  heavily  on  my  horse,"  contin- 
ued the  duke  ;  "  and  if  you  pull  it  off,  my  dear  fellah,  why 
I  needn't — aw — say  that  I'll  make  it  worth  your  while 
to  ride  your  best. " 

"  Give  me  a  hundred  on  account,"  said  Kemp. 

"  Oh,  I  can  do  that  Come  to  my  rooms  to-morrow, 
and  you  shall  have  a  cheque.  Wall,  ta,  ta !  I  can  rely 
upon  you  ? " 

"  Certainly." 

The  Duke  of  Woodstock  rose,  and  took  his  leave  with 
the  same  want  of  warmth  he  always  exhibited. 

Davis  saw  him  to  the  door. 

"  You're  in  luck,  old  fellow,"  he  said,  as  he  came  back. 

"  You  may  think  so,"  replied  Kemp  ;  "  but  I  don't  like 
the  patronising  way  that  man  Woodstock  has. " 

"Why  not?" 

"  He  treats  me  like  a  servant." 

"And  you  make  him  pay  for  it." 

"  He  knows,"  said  Kemp,  "  that  I  am  the  only  man  in 
Oxford  who  can  ride  his  horse  with  half  a  chance  of  win- 
ning. " 

"  Woodstock  is  reckoned  a  good  rider." 

"  He  was  before  he  came  up  here,"  answered  Kemp. 
"  Now  his  nerves  are  not  worth  much.  It's  nerve  that 
pulls  you  through." 

"  You've  a  double  object  now  in  settling  Dawson."  put 
in  Davis. 


JA CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD,  8 1 

"  Yes,  and  I  mean  to  do  it.  I  shall  stop  my  liquoring- 
up.  It  unsteadies  your  hand,  and  makes  you  seedy. " 

"  If  you  keep  cool,  it  will  look  awfully  fishy  for  the 
Dawson  division." 

"  Leave  it  to  me,  I  tell  you,  and  if  you  have  any 
spare  cash,  put  it  on,"  answered  Kemp. 

Harkaway  began  to  move  at  this  juncture. 

He  opened  his  eyes  and  threw  his  arms  about,  like  one 
awakening  from  a  heavy  sleep. 

"  See  him  home,"  exclaimed  Davis. 

"  Won't  you  ?  "  asked  Kemp. 

' '  Not  I.   I've  been  mixed  up  enough  in  your  rascally " 

"Hush!"  whispered  Kemp,  putting  his  finger  to  his 
lips. 

Jack  rose  up  with  a  staggering  gait,  and  asked  where  he 
was. 

"  In  Davis's  room.     Don't  you    remember?"    replied 
Kemp. 
1     '  No." 

'  We  talked    matters  over,    and  then  played  a  little. 
You  lost,  and  went  off  all  at  once." 
'  Did  I  lose  much?  "  said  Jack. 

'  Nothing  to  fret  about.     Will  you  go  to  your  room  ?  " 
'  Yes,  please  ;  I  don't  feel  at  all  well." 
'  It's  that  plucky  affair  of  yours   when  you  saved  the 
girl  that's  made  you  feel  ill." 

"  Perhaps.  Give  me  your  arm.  Good-night,  Davis. 
I  am  very  sorry  for  being  so  rude  as  to  go  to  sleep  in  your 
place,"  said  Jack. 

"  Don't  mention  it,  old  fellow.  Good-night.  Hope 
you'll  pick  up  between  this  and  the  morning.  Have  any- 
thing more  before  you  go  ? "  replied  Davis. 

"  Not  a  drop,  thank  you." 

He  went  out,  leaning  on  Kemp's  arm,  and  was  very 
glad  to  get  to  bed. 

His  recollection  of  what  had  occurred  was  very  impel 
feet. 

He  had  an  idea  that  he  had  made  friends  with  Kemp 
and  Davis,  and  that  he  had  played  high,  but  what  he  had 
lost  he  did  not  know. 

The  next  day  he  did  not  feel  at  all  well,  and  saw  noth- 
ing of  Kemp,  whom  he  did  not  meet  until  he  encountered 
him  in  hall,  a  day  or  two  afterwards. 
6 


82  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

He  endeavoured  to  find  out  how  much  he  had  lost,  but 
Kemp  answered  it  evasively,  and  told  him  not  to  trouble 
himself  about  such  a  flea-bite  until  the  bill  came  due. 

So  Jack  gave  up  thinking  about  it,  and  turned  his 
thoughts  into  another  direction. 

When  Sir  Sydney  Dawson  heard  that  Kemp  was  going 
to  ride  the  Duke  of  Woodstock's  horse  in  the  forthcoming 
steeple-chase,  he  was  rather  surprised. 

Kemp  was  known  to  be  a  good  rider. 

The  fact  of  his  being  patronised  by  the  duke  put  him  in 
position  again,  and  it  being  known  that  Harkaway  had 
been  to  his  room,  and  was  satisfied  that  his  cheating  at 
cards  was  a  mistake,  men  who  had  formerly  cut  him 
gave  him  a  friendly  nod,  shook  hands,  or  said — "  How  do, 
Kemp  ? " 

Sir  Sydney  and  he  went  down  to  the  stables  together 
several  times,  and  drank  champagne  together. 

Harkaway  saw  this,  and  felt  sure  Kemp  was  playing 
a  deep  game. 

He  wanted  to  make  Sir  Sydney  drink  more  than  was 
good  for  him,  so  that  his  nervous  system  would  be  too 
shattered  to  enable  him  to  ride. 

There  were  only  six  horses  entered  for  the  race,  out  of 
which  the  duke's  and  Sir  Sydney's  were  the  two  best. 

Everyone  agreed  that  the  race  would  lie  between  these 
two  cracks. 

Barring  the  vicious  temper  of  Sir  Sydney's  horse,  a 
finer  steeple-chaser  never  was  foaled. 

The  St.  Aldate's  men  had  bet  heavily  on  Go-ahead,  and 
even  Jack  and  Harvey  had  risked  a  few  pounds. 

Jack  was  rather  shy  of  Kemp,  feeling  he  had  been  made 
a  fool  of,  though  he  did  not  guess  the  full  extent  of  the 
villany  of  which  he  was  the  victim. 

Having  made  use  of  him,  Kemp  reassumed  all  his  old 
insolence. 

On  the  night  before  the  race,  Jack  and  Harvey  went  to 
Sir  Sydney's  rooms;  where  they  found  half  a  dozen  or 
more  men  assembled,  Kemp  being  one  of  them. 

Jack  was  pained  to  see  how  flushed  and  feverish  Sir 
Sydney  Dawson  looked. 

Kemp,  on  the  other  hand,  was  as  cool  as  a  cucumber, 
and  fresher. 

"  You're  not  looking  in  form,  old  fellow,"  he  exclaimed 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  83 

"Remember,  you're  not  going  to  ride  a  clothes-horse  to- 
morrow. " 

"Never  felt  bettei  in  my  life,"  replied  Sir  Sydney. 
"It's  all  rot  to  funk  a  man  and  make  him  nervous  by 
croaking. " 

"Woodstock's  horse  will  take  a  deal  of  beating,  that's 
all,"  continued  Jack. 

"It  will  be  a  walk  over,  won't  it,  Kemp?"  said  Sir 
Sydney,  with  a  sickly  smile. 

"There's  nothing  like  being  cock  sure,"  answered 
Kemp.  "  I  tell  you  plainly,  I  mean  to  do  all  I  know  to 
land  Woodstock's  colours  in  the  front,  so  you've  got  your 
work  cut  out  for  you.  Wild  Irishman  is  the  stable  com- 
panion of  a  Derby  winner;  and,  by  Jove!  how  your 
hand  shakes  ! " 

"It's  nothing." 

"  No  wonder,"  said  Jack,  "  when  you  bustle  the  man." 
<  Kemp  gave  him  a  look  which  said,  plainly — 

"  What  have  you  got  to  do  with  it?  You'd  better  be 
quiet." 

And  then  he  exclaimed  aloud — 

"You've  let  yourself  down  too  low  ;  try  some  brandy." 

"By  Jove  !  Kemp's  right.  That's  what  it  is  ;  I  want  a 
nerver,"  replied  Sir  Sydney. 

He  poured  some  spirits  into  a  tumbler,  and  adding — 
"Putin  a  little  water,'"  drank  it  off  at  a  draught,  shivering 
slightly  as  he  set  the  glass  down. 

"  Now  I'm  another  man, ''he  said,  with  a  smile.  "And 
I'll  tell  you  one  thing ;  if  I  can't  ride  Go-ahead,  there  isn't 
another  fellow  in  Oxford  who  can." 

There  was  a  murmur  of  assent,  for  the  dangerous  tem- 
per of  the  horse  was  as  well  known  as  its  owner's  admir- 
able seat  and  iron  hand. 

Drinking  and  smoking  were  kept  up  till  a  late  hour, 
and  it  was  remarked  that  Sir  Sydney  seemed  to  be  seized 
more  than  once  with  a  fit  of  cold  shivering. 

In  the  morning  he  did  not  appear  in  chapel,  and  just 
as  Jack  got  back  to  his  room,  his  scout  said — 
'Please,  sir,  you're  wanted." 
'Who  by?  "asked  Jack. 

'  Sir  Sydney  Dawson  has  sent  round  for  you  twice,  sir." 
'  Has  he  ?     By  Jove  !     I  hope  there  is  nothing  wrong," 

d  Jack. 


g4  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

He  hastened  to  see  his  friend,  whom  he  found  in  bed 

Sir  Sydney  was  very  ill ;  his  hands  burned  like  hot  coals, 
his  eyes  were  sunken,  and  flashed  with  feverish  brilliancy, 
and  it  was  clear  that  he  was  not  in  a  fit  state  to  ride. 

Much  shocked  Jack  cried — 

"That  infernal  fellow,  Kemp,  has  done  this.  He's 
made  a  tool  of  me  to  ruin  you." 

"Bosh!"  replied  Sir  Sydney;  "I'm  all  right.  It's 
only  a  funny  feeling  that's  come  over  me  all  at  once. 
Don't  stand  staring  at  me,  for  goodness*  sake.  Do  some- 
thing." 

"  You  must  have  a  doctor." 

"  Doctor  be  hanged  !  Give  me  some  brandy  in  a  cup 
of  strong  tea. " 

' '  I  saw"  how  it  would  be, "  continued  Jack.  "And  now 
you  can't  ride  the  race.  You  said  it  would  be  a  walk- 
over, and  so  it  will,  for  Kemp." 

"I'll  be  shot  if  it  shall  be,  if  I  can  crawl  to  the  course," 
cried  Sir  Sydney,  fiercely.  "What,  have  Go-ahead 
scratched,  and  let  that  sneering  blackleg  brute  Kemp  have 
the  laugh  of  us  ?  Not  for  a  cool  thou,  my  boy ;  you 
don't  know  me." 

"I  know  you've  got  the  pluck  of  half  a  dozen,"  an 
swered  Jack  ;  "but  neither  you  nor  any  other  man  can 
do  impossibilities.  You  are  not  well  enough  to  stir  out. 
Can't  you  get  some  one  to  ride  for  you  ?  " 

"No  one  can  ride  that  horse  but  me.  It's  breakneck 
work  ;  look  at  the  jumps.  Give  me  your  hand  ;  I'll  get 
up." 

Jack  assisted  him  to  dress. 

He  trembled  like  a  leaf,  and  was  as  weak  as  a  rat. 

"  I'm  bound  to  ride,"  he  said.  "  Look  how  all  our  fel- 
lows have  backed  me.  Go-ahead  must  not  be  scratched. 
I  will  ride,  if  I  can't  hold  the  reins.  What  sort  of  a  morn- 
ing is  it  ?  " 

"Dull,  but  dry." 

"I've  got  a  film  over  my  eyes;  can't  see  anything 
well,"  continued  Sir  Sydney.  "  Hang  the  luck.  I 
shouldn't  have  cared  at  any  other  time." 

His  scout  made  him  some  tea,  and  was  sent  to  order 
the  dog-cart,  to  drive  them  over  to  the  course,  which  was 
about  ten  miles  from  Oxford. 

"So  you  mean  to  go  ? "  said  Jack. 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  85 

"  Of  course  I  do.  You'll  see  me  stick  on  like  a  monkey 
its  a  circus.  I'll  ride  Go-ahead,  or  die  in  the  attempt. " 

Seeing  it  was  useless  to  dissuade  him,  Jack  gave  it  up. 

"What  are  your  colours  ? "  he  asked. 

"  Blue  and  white.     What  do  you  want  to  know  for?  " 

"Nothing,"  said  Jack,  evasively.  "You  won't  start 
for  an  hour  ?  Sit  still  while  I  go  to  my  room  ;  I'll  be 
back  soon." 

When  Jack  returned  Dawson  was  pacing  the  room 
impatiently. 

He  had  been  drinking  more  brandy,  which  increased 
the  fever  in  his  veins. 

"What  an  age  you've  been.  Come  along;  we  shall 
be  last  on  the  course,"  he  exclaimed. 

Jack  gave  him  his  arm,  and  walking  to  the  stables,  got 
into  the  dog-cart. 

' "  You  drive;  I  can't  hold  the  ribbons  to-day,"  said 
Dawson.  "  Cut  out  the  pace;  we're  late,  and  the  Wood- 
stock division  will  say  we  are  showing  the  feather." 

Touching  up  the  horse,  Jack  was  soon  spinning  along 
the  High  and  over  the  bridge,  along  the  Iffley  Road,  to 
the  course. 

"  He'll  never  be  able  to  do  it,"  muttered  Jack.  "  It's 
a  hundred  to  one  against  him,  and  that's  long  odds." 

And  so  it  was. 

The  poor,  pale,  tremulous  young  man  by  his  side  did 
not  look  as  if  he  could  sit  a  donkey  on  Hampstead  Heath, 
let  alone  a  racehorse  with  the  vicious  temper  of  Go-ahead. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE    RACE. 

THE  Oxford  men  mustered  rather  strongly  on  the  course. 

A  large  number  of  gentlemen,  ladies,  and  country 
people  had  assembled  to  see  the  steeple-chase,  for  which 
only  five  horses  were  entered. 

The  Duke  of  Woodstock's  horse  was  made  favourite  at 
two  to  one,  and  the  second  in  popular  estimation  was  Sir 
Sydney  Dawson's  Go-ahead. 

When   they  reached  the  course,  which  was  carefully 


86  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

laid  out  with  the  usual  fences  and  ditches,  Jack  took  a 
good  look  at  it 

The  water  jump  was  a  formidable  one,  but  the  last  of 
all  seemed  most  difficult 

It  was  formed  naturally  by  a  lane,  having  on  each  side 
a  stiff  hedge,  and  a  drop  of  several  feet  in  the  middle. 

They  were  soon  surrounded  by  an  admiring  knot  of 
St.  Aldate's  men,  who  regarded  Sir  Sydney  critically. 

"Who  said  he  wouldn't  turn  up?  "said  Tom  Garden, 
the  man  of  flesh  and  muscle. 

"Whoever  did  made  a  confounded  mistake,"  replied 
Sir  Sydney. 

"  You  don't  look  quite  the  cheese,  "said  Fabian  Hall. 
"A  little  feverish,  I  should  think,  which  isn't  the  thing  to 
brace  a  man's  nerve  up." 

"You  go  to  Hampstead  Heath,  Fabian,  my  innocent," 
replied  Jack  ;  "that's  your  riding-school,  I  should  think." 

"  I'm  all  right.  Let's  go  and  look  at  the  horse,  Hark- 
away,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney. 

At  this  moment  Kemp  strolled  up  arm  in  arm  with 
Davis. 

A  smile  of  satisfaction  was  on  his  lips  as  he  saw  the 
state  Dawson  was  in. 

"  Glad  to  see  you,"  he  said.  "Are  we  going  to  have 
a  mild  bet  on  the  event  ?  " 

"I'll  back  my  mount  of  course,"  answered  Sir  Sydney. 

"Done  with  you,  then,  for  fifty.  We  shall  have  a 
struggle  for  it." 

The  bet  was  made,  and  Sir  Sydney  strolled  away  with 
Jack. 

"I  don't  like  to  think  of  the  money  I  have  at  stake," 
said  Sir  Sydney.  "I've  put  the  pot  on  tremendously, 
and  stand  to  lose  or  win  a  regular  hatful. " 

As  he  spoke,  a  fit  of  cold  shivering  seized  him  and  he 
could  scarcely  stand. 

"Let's  go  to  the  stand  and  hare  some  brandy,"  he 
continued.  "  Hang  me  if  I  ever  felt  so  queer  before." 

"Take  my  advice  and  don't.  You're  not  strong 
enough  to  drink,"  replied  Jack;  " and  throw  that  cigar 
away,  it  is  only  making  you  nervous." 

In  the  paddock,  Sir  Sydney's  trainer,  Morsom,  was 
standing  by  Go-ahead. 

"There's  the  horse,"  said  Sir  Sydney.      "Isn't  he  a 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  87 

beauty?  —  and  like  a  good  many  other  beauties,  he's  got 
an  infernai  temper.  Steeple-chasing  is  not  like  racing 
on  the  flat.  If  I  don't  stick  on,  I  shall  run  a  chance  of 
breaking  my  neck,  and  losing  the  race  into  the  bargain." 

"Which  would  be  the  greater  misfortune  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"Of  course,  the  greater  embraces  the  less.  If  I 
broke  my  neck,  I  could  not  win,  because  I  should  not 
be  able  to  ride  it  out.  Call  Morsom,  will  you  ?  " 

Jack  beckoned  to  the  trainer,  who  at  once  approached. 

"Morning,  Sir  Sydney,"  said  Morsom.  "The  horse 
is  in  splendid  form,  quiet  as  a  kitten  —  rather  too  quiet. 
When  he's  like  that  he  generally  breaks  out,  sooner  or 
later.  " 

"I'll  break  his  heart  if  he  tries  any  of  his  tricks  with 
me,"  answered  Sir  Sydney,  with  a  spice  of  his  usual  dash. 

''Time's  nearly  up,  sir,"  said  the  trainer. 

"Ah,  so  it  is,"  replied  Sir  Sydney,  looking  at  his 
watch.  "Take  the  horse  a  little  way  up  the  course; 
the  crowd  may  frighten  him  here." 

He  tried  to  move  away,  but  the  old  staggering  feeling 
came  over  him,  and  the  hectic  on  his  face  burnt  brighter. 

"Take  my  arm.     You  are  weak,"  said  Jack. 

"Stuff!"  said  Sir  Sydney.  "  I  tell  you  I'm  all  right. 
It's  this  beastly  lightheadedness  —  bilious,  I  suppose.  I 
feel  as  weak  as  a  rat." 

"  Give  it  up." 

"What,  sell  all  my  friends?  Who's  to  ride  the  horse? 
That  scoundred  Kemp  will  laugh  at  me.  Not  I." 

He  spoke  loudly,  and  grew  more  excited  every  minute. 

Just  then  Kemp,  accompanied  by  the  Duke  of  Wood- 
stock, passed  by  on  their  road  to  the  weighing-room. 

"How  do,  Dawson?"  said  the  duke,  stopping. 
"Hope  —  aw  —  you  won't  cut  us  down  too  early  in  the 
—  aw  —  race.  Let  us  —  aw  —  be  in  it." 

"The  St.  Aldate's  gentleman  jock  doesn't  look  like 
winning,"  remarked  Kemp. 

He  spoke  in  a  low  tone,  intended  only  for  the  duke's 
ear,  but  Dawson  caught  the  words. 

"Look  here,  Mr.  Kemp,"  he  exclaimed.  "I  don'* 
allow  anyone  to  make  disparaging  remarks  about  me." 

Ke-mp  turned  round  and  faced  him. 


«  expose  you  can't  help  it,    my  good  fellow,    what 
snen  ?  '    he  said,  in  a  voice  of  cool  insolence. 


gg  JA CK  HA RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"You're  a  low  scoundrel,  sir  !  "  cried  Sir  Sydney,  los« 
ing  his  temper,  and  forgetting  himself  altogether. 
"That  I  tell  you  to  your  face." 

"Why?"  asked  Kemp,  grating  his  teeth. 

"You've  been  betting  against  my  horse,  sir,  and  you 
have  brought  me  to  the  state  I  am  in.  Don't  think  I'm 
a  fool.  I  can  see  it  all,  now  it's  too  late.  But  I'll  beat 
you  yet.  Go-ahead  can  win,  and  it  will  punish  you  far 
more  to  lose  your  dirty  money  than  to  be  kicked." 

Kemp  was  about  to  make  an  angry  reply. 

His  cheeks  burned,  and  his  fists  were  tightly  clenched. 

But  the  Duke  of  Woodstock  pulled  him  away,  saying — 

"Keep  cool.  If  you  excite  yourself  now,  you  will 
lose  your  nerve,  and — aw — lose  me  the  race." 

"All  right,  your  grace,"  replied  Kemp.  "I'll  pocket 
the  insult  for  your  sake. " 

They  went  on  to  the  weighing-room,  where  they  had 
been  preceded  by  all  the  other  riders  except  Sir  Sydney. 

"The  low  cadi  How  I  hate  that  fellow,"  said  Sir 
Sydney. 

"So  do  I,"  replied  Jack.  " I  heard  him  say  he  should 
either  lose  over  a  thousand,  or  win  three.  It's  a  pity 
you  picked  up  with  him  again." 

"  I've  got  to  thank  you  for  the  honour  of  his  renewed 
acquaintance." 

"So  you  have.  I  am  to  blame.  Never  mind;  the 
race  is  not  lost  yet,"  answered  Jack,  setting  his  lips 
firmly  together,  as  if  thinking  of  a  difficult  task  he  had 
set  himself  to  perform. 

Tom  Garden  and  a  few  of  the  St.  Aldate's  division 
followed  them  to  the  weighing-room. 

The  clerk  of  the  course  was  there,   and  he  exclaimed — 

' '  Now,  Sir  Sydney,  you  are  the  last.  All  have  gone 
to  the  post  but  you." 

Dawson  made  an  effort  to  pull  himself  together,  but 
failed  utterly. 

His  head  swam,  and  he  reeled  about  dangerously,  so 
much  so,  that  his  backers  looked  at  him  in  consternation. 

"It's  come  on  again,"  he  gasped.  "I'm  no  more 
use  than  an  old  hat  full  of  cold  water.  I'd  ride  if  I 
could.  By  gad!  I  will  ride. " 

"  You  shall  not,"  said  Jack,  in  a  tone  of  decision.  "  It 
would  be  madness  for  you  to  do  so.  I  appeal  to  Garden. " 


JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  89 

"Looks  grave,"  replied  Garden.  "Don't  see  how  he 
can  stick  on." 

"I'll  go  and  hedge  my  bets,"  remarked  a  St  Aldate's 
man. 

"Time's  up,  sir,"  said  the  clerk. 

Sir  Sydney  made  an  attempt  to  pull  off  his  coat,  but 
the  dizziness  came  on  again. 

"I  can't  make  out  what  the  devil's  the  matter  with 
me,"  he  said.  "It's  my  belief  Kemp  must  have  poi- 
soned me." 

"  Not  at  all  unlikely,"  replied  Jack,  thinking  of  what 
had  happened  to  himself  in  Davis's  room. 

"What's  to  be  done?  I  can't  declare  forfeit.  Will 
you  give  me  an  idea,  Garden  ?  My  heart  will  break  if  I 
have  to  scratch  Go-ahead. " 

"The  horse  shall  run.  Don't  worry  yourself,"  said 
Jack. 

"How  can  he,  when  there  isn't  a  man  in  Oxford,  bar 
myself,  who  would  trust  himself  on  the  brute's  back  ? " 
asked  Sir  Sydney. 

"I  will  ride  him,"  exclaimed  Jack. 

"You?" 

"Yes;  I  prepared  for  this.  Trust  your  honour  and 
your  money  in  my  hands.  I  can  do  most  things  pretty 
well.  Leave  it  to  me." 

"My  dear  fellow,  how  can  I  thank  you?  I  didn't 
know  you  could  ride." 

"I'll  try,  anyhow.     Stand  on  one  side,  please." 

As  he  spoke,  Jack  threw  off  his  coat. 

Under  his  trousers  he  had  a  capital  get-up  of  breeches 
and  boots. 

In  a  short  time  he  was  arrayed  in  the  baronet's 
colours. 

They  fixed  a  pair  of  spurs  on  his  boots,  put  the  cap 
on  his  head,  and  he  looked  every  inch  a  jockey,  bred 
and  born. 

"Look  here,  old  man,"  said  Jack  to  Dawson,  "you 
go  and  borrow  a  binocular,  and  take  up  your  position 
in  the  stand.  Put  on  the  coin,  if  you're  in  the  humour ; 
I'm  not  going  to  let  Kemp  beat  me.  Please  goodness, 
I'll  cut  him  down  on  the  post,  if  your  horse  is  the  flyer 
they  say  he  is." 

Sir  Sydney  grasped  his  hand  in  silent  gratituda 


QO  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"That's  right.  Hook  on  to  Garden,"  continued  Jack, 
"and  don't  funk  about  me." 

Just  as  Jack  emerged  from  the  room,  Morsom  the 
trainer  came  up. 

"Are  you  going  to  ride,  Mr.  Harkaway  ! "  he  ex- 
claimed, in  surprise. 

"Yes.     Dawson's  not  himself  to-day." 

"I  thought  not,  and  am  very  glad  of  the  change. 
Go-ahead  takes  a  good  deal  of  riding,  sir,  but  if  ever 
there  was  a  funny-tempered  horse,  it  is  Sir  Sydney's." 

"I've  been  outside  a  horse  before  to-day,  and  my 
nerve  is  like  iron.  Besides,  Morsom,  I've  got  an  interest 
in  knocking  Mr.  Kemp  out  of  time.  Where  is  the  horse  ?  " 

"Where  Sir  Sydney  told  me  to  have  him,  sir,  a  little  way 
up  the  course.  Come  along,  there's  no  time  to  be  lost." 

"I  know  that,"  replied  Jack,  as  he  threw  his  overcoat 
round  his  shoulders,  and  dived  into  the  crowd. 

They  soon  reached  the  horse,  and  Morsom  held  him 
while  Jack  mounted. 

No  one  would  have  thought  there  was  a  lurking  devil 
in  the  horse,  he  seemed  so  calm  and  amiable. 

Morsom  handed  Jack  a  whip,   and  said— 

"  Don't  hit  him  if  you  can  help  it,  sir.  He's  a  fiend 
when  he's  whipped. " 

Jack  nodded  and  walked  the  horse  down  to  the  start- 
ing-place. 

The  field  of  five  had  already  assembled. 

Woodstock  was  speaking  to  Kemp,  but  he  left  off  as 
Jack  appeared  on  Go-ahead. 

"That's  not  Dawson  !  "  exclaimed  the  duke,  forgetting 
his  affected  manner  in  his  surprise. 

Kemp  turned  pale. 

"By  Jove,"  he  answered,  "it's  that  infernal  Harkaway. 
The  only  man  in  Oxford  I  should  have  been  at  all  afraid 
of." 

"Can  he  ride?" 

"What  is  it  he  can't  do?  The  beggar  can  do  every 
thing,  but  I  think  he  has  got  his  master  in  Go-ahead.  I 
know  more  of  the  horse  than  he  does,  and  if  he  hasn't 
some  bones  broken  in  less  than  half  an  hour,  say  I'm  a 
false  prophet." 

Morsom  ran  up  to  Jack's  side,  and  whispered — 

"Perhaps  you  don't  know  the  course,  sir?    There's  a 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  9  \ 

very  nasty  double  jump,  just  before  the  run  in,  an  in-and- 
out  jump,  and  there's  a  bullfinch — that's  a  stiffish  hedge — 
and  the  water-jump,  which  I  should  give  him  his  head  at 
and  chance  it. " 

"All  right,"  replied  Jack. 

The  horses  formed  into  a  line,  and  went  towards  the 
starting-post. 

The  duke's  horse,  Wild  Irishman,  seemed  full  of  going, 
and  the  very  picture  of  a  race-horse. 

The  others  were  well  bred,  but  did  not  seem  to  have 
staying  power. 

It  was  not  difficult  to  start  so  small  a  field,  and  amid 
breathless  expectation  they  went  off  directly  the  flag  fell. 

"Now  for  it,"  thought  Jack,  and  he  took  a  look  at 
Kemp,  who  sat  his  animal  splendidly,  and  seemed  to  have 
him  'well  in  hand. 

The  course  was  about  four  miles,  and  the  ground  of  a 
stiffish  character. 

At  the  first  fence,  Amy,  a  dark  horse  ridden  by  a  Merton 
man,  fell  and  broke  his  leg,  reducing  the  field  to  four 
runners. 

Ploughing  their  way  across  a  turnip  field,  all  lying  well 
together,  they  came  to  the  second  obstacle,  which  was  a 
flight  of  hurdles. 

The  fourth  horse  failed  to  leap  the  hurdles,  and  pitched 
his  rider  off  badly. 

He  was  so  much  hurt  with  the  purler  that  he  did  not 
mount  again,  but  was  carried  off  the  course. 

"Only  three  left,"  thought  Jack. 

Knowing  the  speed  of  Go-ahead,  he  determined  to 
force  the  pace,  being  especially  anxious,  as  Kemp,  on  the 
Irishman,  was  slightly  leading. 

Wild  Irishman  was  a  bay  horse,  while  Sir  Sydney's  was 
as  black  as  night. 

It  was  easy  to  distinguish  them  from  the  stand,  and  the 
backers  of  each  were  wild  with  excitement  as  they  watched 
the  race. 

Jack  had  been  holding  his  horse  well  in  hand,  but  he 
gave  him  his  head,  and  he  at  once  shot  in  front 

When  the  water-jump  was  reached,  the  two  leaders 
cleared  it  well,  but  the  third  horse  refused  it  three  times, 
whereby  so  much  time  was  lost,  that  the  rider  gave  up 
the  race  in  disgust,  and  slowly  returned. 


92  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Then  the  field  was  reduced  to  two. 

It  was  a  race  between  Jack  and  Kemp. 

In  front  of  Jack  was  the  bullfinch,  of  which  the  trainer 
had  spoken,  and  a  formidable  jump  it  was. 

Kemp  lifted  Wild  Irishman  and  cleared  it  beautifully, 
amidst  the  applause  of  the  spectators  who  had  assembled 
at  this  point. 

The  roar  of  voices  frightened  Go-ahead,  who  now  be- 
gan to  show  the  nasty  temper  for  which  he  had  made 
himself  famous. 

Rearing  up  on  his  hind  legs,  he  pawed  the  air,  and  en- 
deavoured to  unseat  his  rider. 

It  was  a  struggle  for  mastery  between  man  and  horse. 

Jack  was  mad  with  rage  at  seeing  Kemp  galloping  over 
the  neighbouring  ploughed  field,  holding  the  Irishman 
well  in  hand,  and  looking  like  winning  in  an  easy  canter. 

Raising  his  whip  in  the  air,  he  brought  it  down  once, 
twice,  three  times  between  the  horse's  ears. 

The  infuriated  animal  uttered  a  snort  of  passion, 
lowered  his  legs,  put  back  his  ears,  and  taking  the  bit  in 
his  mouth,  flew  at  the  obstacle  in  front  of  him. 

In  vain  Jack  pulled  at  the  bridle. 

He  had  no  more  control  over  the  animal  than  one  of 
the  spectators. 

A  few  yards  more,  and  they  would  be  at  the  fence. 

Jack  turned  very  pale,  settled  himself  well  in  his  seat, 
dug  his  knees  in,  and  waited  for  the  shock. 

Go-ahead  seemed  forgetful  of  the  fence,  for,  instead  of 
trying  to  clear  it,  he  dashed  blindly  at  it,  crashing  through 
somehow,  falling  on  his  knees  on  the  other  side,  and 
throwing  his  rider  badly. 

Jack  lay  insensible  for  a  moment  on  the  ground,  the 
blood  trickling  from  an  ugly  wound  in  his  forehead. 

Tom  Garden  happened  to  have  selected  this  spot,  and 
when  he  saw  Jack  fall,  he  rushed  to  his  assistance,  while 
another  man  held  the  horse,  which  was  now  trembling 
violently  all  over. 

Jack  was  beginning  to  open  his  eyea. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  93 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

JACK    GETS   A   DISAGREEABLE    LETTER. 

"Now,  then,  old  fellow,"  said  Tom  Garden;  "you're 
not  much  hurt.  Up  with  you — quick  !  " 

Jack  staggered  to  his  feet,  and  looked  giddily  round 
him. 

"  Where's  Kemp  ? "  asked  he. 

"  Not  far  ahead.  He's  pounding  through  the  turnips. 
Jump  up." 

With,  Garden's  assistance,  Jack  climbed  into  the  saddle 
again,  but  dropped  the  whip,  which  he  did  not  seem  able 
to  hold. 

"Force  the  pace,  my  lad,  and  you'll  do  it,"  continued 
Garden. 

Jack  wiped  the  blood  out  of  his  eyes,  and  nodded  his 
head. 

Then  he  dug  his  cruel  spurs,  for  the  first  time,  deep  in- 
to the  horse's  flanks,  and  away  they  flew  like  lightning 
after  Kemp. 

"He's  had  a  nasty  purler,"  mused  Garden,  "but  he 
may  pull  it  off  yet." 

At  the  next  fence,  Wild  Irishman  swerved  and  would 
not  take  it,  which  occasioned  a  most  valuable  delay  to 
Jack,  who,  as  he  decreased  the  distance  between  them, 
could  hear  Kemp's  loud  curses. 

There  was  but  about  fifty  yards  between  them,  which, 
after  jumping  the  fence,  Jack  reduced  to  thirty. 

Only  one  jump  remained  now  between  them  and  home. 

This  was  the  dangerous  leap,  formed  by  a  lane,  with 
hedges  on  each  side  of  it. 

The  excitement  on  the  stand  was  immense. 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson  was  trembling  in  every  limb,  while 
the  Duke  of  Woodstock,  who  stood  near  him,  was  cool, 
calm  and  confident. 

"Irishman  wins — it's  a  dead  moral  !  "  exclaimed  Frank 
Davis.  "I'll  lay  six  to  four  on  him  !  " 

"  I'll  take  you,"  replied  Sir  Sydney  ;    "six  twenties." 

"Again  ?  "  asked  Davis,  as  he  booked  the  bet. 

"Yes,  again." 


94  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"He  must  be  mad.  Go-ahead  isn't  in  it.  They  are 
close  home  now,"  muttered  Davis  to  the  duke. 

"Look  at  Kemp.  By  Jove!  he  rides  well,"  said  the 
Duke  of  Woodstock.  "  I  couldn't  have — aw — trusted  my 
mount  to  a  better  man." 

"Watch  him,"  cried  Davis,  who,  a  good  rider  himself, 
could  appreciate  excellent  horsemanship  in  another 
"See  he  takes  the  lane  in  and  out  like  an  otter.  Bravo  f 
Now  he  makes  for  home,  and  it  is  a  clear  run  in." 

Jack  was  just  behind  Kemp,  but  as  scarcely  a  hundred 
yards  remained  between  them  and  the  winning-post,  he 
saw  he  must  lose  if  he  popped  in  and  out  as  Kemp  had 
done. 

With  a  characteristic  recklessness,  he  determined  to 
take  the  two  jumps  together,  and  clear  the  lane  at  one 
flying  leap. 

It  was  a  desperate  expedient,  but  the  only  one  which 
gave  him  a  chance. 

The  hoarse  shouts  of  the  crowd  and  the  bookmakers 
fell  upon  his  ears. 

He  knew  the  power  of  his  horse,  which  was  full  of 
running. 

"  It's  neck  or  nothing,"  he  muttered. 

And  he  began  to  bustle  Go-ahead,  who,  better  tempered 
now  some  of  the  devilry  had  been  knocked  out  of  him, 
had  settled  down  into  a  splendid  stride. 

' '  Go  it,  my  beauty  1  We  shall  do  it  yet, "  said  Jack, 
digging  his  spurs  in  deep. 

Away  they  flew. 

The  horse  rose  in  the  air,  and  crossed  the  lane  like  a 
bird,  amidst  the  breathless  silence  of  the  spectators. 

' '  By  gad  !  he's  going  to  fly  it  1  He's  done  it.  By  gad ! 
finest  thing  I  ever  saw,"  cried  the  duke,  lost  in  admira- 
tion. 

"Bravo,  Harkaway !  Well  done  indeed!"  exclaimed 
Sir  Sydney. 

Jack  passed  on  after  the  Irishman  like  an  arrow  from  a 
bo-sy,  gaining  at  every  stride. 

Now  he  was  laying  close  to  his  haunches,  the  post  was 
before  them. 

The  judge  was  straining  his  eyes  ;  it  looked  so  like  a 
dead  heat 

The  clamour  was  deafening. 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  95 

With  a  desperate  effort  Jack  pushed  on  Go-ahead,  and 
cutting  down  Kemp,  won  by  sheer  pluck  on  the  post  by 
a  head.  » 

He  rode  into  the  enclosure,  looking  ghastly  pale,  his 
clothes  covered  with  mud  and  his  face  smeared  with 
blood. 

Weighing  in  all  right,  he  was  surrounded  by  St.  Aldate's 
men,  foremost  amongst  whom  was  Sir  Sydney,  who  shook 
him  by  the  hand. 

"  My  dear  fellow,"  he  said,  "  how  can  I  thank  you  ?  " 

"By  first  of  all  saying  nothing  about  it,  and  secondly 
by  getting  me  something  to  drink,"  replied  Jack. 

"Are  you  hurt? " 

"  Jjust  a  little  about  the  chump.  I  can  scarcely  see 
anything,  but  I  suppose  it  will  go  off.  It  was  a  beastly 
bad  purl  at  the  fence." 

They  led  him  to  the  stand,  and  a  band  played  "See, 
the  Conquering  Hero  Comes." 

While  he  was  refreshing  himself  with  champagne,  the 
Duke  of  Woodstock  and  his  supporters  were  looking  very 
blank  indeed. 

Having  made  use  of  Kemp,  the  duke  treated  him  with 
an  aristocratic  insolence  which  he  did  not  expect. 

'  Did  my  best  for  you,  your  grace,"  said  Kemp,  biting 
his  lips  till  the  blood  came. 

*•'  Ah,  yes.  You  are  Kemp,  I  believe  ?  "  replied  the  duke. 

'   Rode  your  horse  just  now  " 

"Ya-as;  wode  my  horse — ya-as.  Lost  the  wace,  I 
*hiuk  ? " 

"Unfortunately  I  did." 

The  duke  fixed  his  glass  in  his  eye,  and  having  stared 
roolly  at  Kemp,  turned  his  back  upon  him  and  began  10 
talk  to  one  of  his  friends. 

Kemp  flushed  angrily  at  this  insolence,  which  was  hard 
to  bear. 

He  sought  Davis,  who  had  watched  the  scene  with 
some  amusement. 

"What  do  you  think  of  that  ? "  asked  Kemp. 

"Never  saw  such  a  lovely  snub  in  my  life  before.  He 
did  it  splendidly,"  laughed  Davis. 

"It's  no  laughing  matter,"  growled  Kemp.  " I've  lost 
a  pot  of  money  which  I  can't  afford,  and  after  I  had  made 
cock  sure  of  winning." 


96  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  If  Harkaway  hadn't  risked  the  lane,  you'd  have  been 
all  right. 

"No  one  but  he  would  have  thought  of  such  a  thing, 
or  have  dared  to  attempt  it  He's  a  demon,"  snarled 
Kemp. 

"  Haven't  I  always  told  you  so?  Well,  I'm  five  hun- 
dred pounds  poorer  by  it" 

"What's  that  to  you ?      You've  got  a  father." 

"Lucky  beast,  am  I  not?"  answered  Davis,  compla- 
cently stroking  his  moustache. 

Completely  discomfited,  the  pair  slunk  away  together, 
not  staying  for  the  other  race,  which  was  to  be  ridden  by 
farmers,  and  had  little  interest  for  university  men. 

After  drinking  nearly  a  bottle  of  champange,  Jack  felt 
better,  though  his  nerves  were  so  shaken  he  was  scarcely 
equal  to  driving  back  to  college. 

Nor  was  Sir  Sydney  any  better. 

In  this  emergency  Tom  Garden  came  to  the  rescue, 
and  volunteered  to  handle  the  reins. 

Sir  Sydney,  in  addition  to  his  illness,  had  been  drinking 
too  much. 

Garden  saw  this,  and  said — 

"  He'll  never  hold  on  in  a  dog-cart  What's  to  be  done 
with  him  ? " 

"  Put  him  in  the  boot,"  suggested  Jack. 

The  hint  was  acted  upon. 

Sir  Sydney  was  led  to  the  trap  ;  some  clean  straw  was 
put  inside  the  hollow  part,  or  boot,  where  the  dogs  gener- 
ally ride,  and  the  baronet,  making  no  resistance,  was 
shut  up  and  conveyed  safely  to  Oxford. 

He  had  to  lay  up  for  a  day  or  two,  and  so  had  Jack, 
but  they  soon  got  better. 

After  the  race,  Kemp  found  himself  as  much  cut  as  he 
was  before. 

The  Duke  of  Woodstock  sent  his  scout  with  a  cheque 
for  his  services,  but  did  not  recognise  him  in  public. 

Jack  simply  nodded  to  him  when  they  met,  and  Sir 
Sydney  gave  him  the  cold  shoulder  unmistakably. 

Time  slipped  away. 

Jack  made  friends  with  Mr.  Mole,  and  went  up  to  his 
rooms  in  St  Giles's  to  read. 

He  also  kept  his  lectures,  and  went  into  training  for 
the  boat-race. 


fA CK HARKA WAY  AT  OXFORD.  97 

he  coxswain  of  the  university  boat,  always  on  the 
^ok-out  for  recruits,  did  not  fail  to  see  Jack  in  the  St 
Aldate's  boat. 

He  spoke  to  Garden  about  him,  and  it  was  determined 
to  put  him  in  the  eight. 

Jack  was  delighted  at  the  prospect  of  rowing  for  his 
university  at  Putney,  against  Cambridge,  at  Easter. 

As  he  was  obliged  to  train  strictly,  he  was  unable  to 
keep  late  hours  and  attend  supper  parties. 

So  he  gradually  dropped  out  of  the  fast  set,  though  he 
kept  up  Sir  Sydney's  acquaintance. 

At  breakfast  one  morning,  Monday  came  in  with  a  note. 

"  What  is  it?     Some  dun,  I  suppose,"  said  Jack. 

"  A  boy  leave  um,  sare,    replied  Monday. 

Jack  opened  it  carelessly,  but  he  had  no  sooner  glanced 
over  the  contents  than  he  turned  pale. 

The  letter  was  from  Mr.  Moses  Man  asses,  of  the  Corn 
Market,  who  presented  his  compliments  to  Mr.  Harkaway 
and  begged  to  give  him  notice  that  his  bill  for  ^"1,000 
became  payable  that  day  week. 

Leaving  his  breakfast  unfinished,  Jack  ran  with  the 
letter  to  Sir  Sydney,  who  was  lying  on  his  sofa  smoking 
two  cigars  at  once,  one  in  each  hand. 

"What's  ruffled  your  highness's  feathers?"  inquired 
Sir  Sydney. 

"You  know  I  went  to  Davis's  room  to  meet  Kemp?" 
said  Jack. 

"  Just  before  the  race.     Yes." 

"  Well,  they  got  me  to  play  and  made  me  tight.  I  lost 
some  money,  though  I  did  not  think  it  much." 

"And  you've  got  to  pay  it,  I  suppose,  and  you  haven't 
the  cash  ;  don't  care  to  write  to  the  governor  in  your  first 
term,  and  come  to  an  old  bird  like  myself  for  advice.  Is 
that  it  ?  " 

"  Not  far  off,"  said  Jack. 

"Well,  I  should  say  renew  the  bill.  If  you  want  fifty, 
you  can  have  it,  that  is  all  I  can  command  at  present," 
replied  Sir  Sydney. 

"Thank  you  all  the  same,  dear  boy,  fifty  would  b« 
but  a  drop  in  the  ocean." 

"  Oh,  if  you  went  in  for  gambling  that  is  another  thiv 
What's  the  total  ?  " 

"  Read  the  letter." 
7 


98  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Sir  Sydney  did  so. 

Springing  up  with  an  indignant  flush,  and  throwing  his 
cigars  away,  Sir  Sydney  exclaimed — 

"The  infernal  scoundrel  !  You  have  been  shamefully 
rooked.  A  thousand  quid,  eh  ?  Why,  it's  as  much  as  a 
man  ought  to  spend  up  here  in  three  years." 

"It's  ruination  to  me.  What  can  I  do  ?  If  I  were  to 
show  the  letter  to  my  father,  he  would  pay  the  bill,  but 
he  would  take  me  away  from  Oxford,  and  that  would 
break  my  heart  just  as  I've  got  into  the  'varsity  eight, 
and  am  likely  to  bat  in  the  eleven." 

"You  see,  if  you  were  to  fight  it  and  go  to  law,  it 
might  turn  out  no  bottle,"  replied  Sir  Sydney,  thought- 
fully. 

"  Can  I  not  fight  them  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"There  is  no  defence  to  an  action  on  a  bill  of  exchange, 
unless  you  make  an  affidavit  of  fraud." 

"So  there  was  a  fraud." 

"Ay,  I  don't  doubt  that,  but  Davis  will  swear  there 
wasn't.  You  have  got  odds  against  you.  It's  two  to  one." 

"  It's  a  gambling  debt." 

"  You  might  fight  on  that  ground,  but  you  would  have 
it  in  the  papers,  and  it  would  not  do  you  any  good," 
replied  Sir  Sydney;  "because,  you  see,  Harkaway,  it's  a 
debt  of  honour,  and  gentlemen  as  a  rule  are  very  par- 
ticular about  their  debts  of  honour." 

Jack  sank  back  in  a  chair  and  groaned. 

Kemp  had  cast  his  net  cleverly  around  him,  and  he 
and  Davis  could  enjoy  their  triumph. 


CHAPTER  XV. 
THE  MONEY-LENDER'S  DAUGHTER. 

HARKAWAY  had  fancied  that  his  debt  to  Kemp  would  be 
easily  covered  by  about  fifty,  or  a  hundred  pounds  at  the 
outside. 

This  he  had  hoped  to  save  out  of  his  allowance,  and 
taking  a  lesson  by  it,  never  be  so  foolish  again. 

The  enormous  amount  of  a  thousand  pounds  was  suff'- 
«uent  to  crush  him. 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  99 

If  he  paid  it  off  by  instalments,  it  would  keep  him  poor 
for  a  long  time. 

''Kemp  and  Davis  area  disgrace  to  St.  Aldate's,"  said 
Dawson,  who  was  furious.  "The  dean  ought  to  be  told 
of  their  conduct." 

"Then  he  would  know  of  mine  too.  That  won't  do," 
replied  Jack. 

"Tell  you  what,  you  must  go  to  Manasses.  He's  an 
awful  old  Jew,  but  not  a  bad  fellow  at  heart." 

"I  will  ;  at  once,"  said  Jack. 

"Besides,  don't  you  recollect  you  saved  the  old  cock's 
daughter,  and  he  told  you  he  should  always  be  grate- 
ful?" 

"  Of  course,"  said  Jack,  brightening.  "  I  had  forgotten 
that  the  girl  I  pulled  out  of  the  river  was  Manasses' 
daughter. " 

"  The  lovely  Hilda  might  intercede  for  you." 

"Not  in  business,  I'm  afraid,"  replied  Jack,  with  a 
dismal  shake  of  the  head. 

"  Perhaps  you're  right.  Jews  show  Christians  no  mercy 
in  money  matters  ;  they  are  all  Shylocks." 

"Fancy  Kemp  bolting  right  off  to  Manasses  with  the 
bill.  That's  how  he  was  able  to  square  up  his  losses  on 
the  steeple-chase  which  I  know  were  very  heavy,"  said 
Jack. 

"The  money  has  done  him  no  good,"  remarked  Sir 
Sydney.  "I  shall  horsewhip  that  fellow  some  day  in  the 
street." 

"I  shall  kick  him  like  a  cur,"  exclaimed  Jack  ;  "but  just 
now,  I  can  only  think  about  getting  out  of  this  mess." 

"Go  to  old  Mossy;  you  can't  do  better,"  said  Daw- 
son. 

"Will  you  wait  till  I  come  back  ?  No,  you  can't,  you've 
got  to  go  to  Mole's." 

"  I  shan't  to-day  ;  nor  you  either,"  answered  the  baro- 
net. "  We're  both  of  us  too  upset  for  work.  I'll  tool  you 
over  to  Abingdon,  and  we'll  chop  there  ;  what  do  you 
say?" 

"Very  well.     I  shan't  be  long,"  replied  Jack. 

He  hastened  away  to  the  Corn  Market,  which  he  soon 
reached,  and  knocking  at  the  door  of  Mr.  Manasses' house, 
was  shown  into  the  drawing-room  by  a  tidily-dressed  maid 
servant 


j oo  JACK  HARKA WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  Mr.  Manasses  is  out,  sir,"  she  said. 

"  When  do  you  expect  him  ? "     said  Jack. 

"It's  rather  uncertain  ;  perhaps  Miss  Hilda  can  inform 
you.  I  will  tell  her  you  are  here.  Who  shall  I  say  ? " 

"Mr.  Harkaway,  St.  Aldate's  College." 

Jack  was  left  alone  for  a  few  minutes,  and  had  an  op- 
portunity of  examining  the  drawing-room,  which  was 
splendidly  furnished. 

No  expense  had  been  spared,,  but  it  was  not  so  much 
the  value  of  the  articles  in  the  room  that  struck  the  visitor 
as  the  refinement  with  which  everything  was  selected  and 
arranged. 

Pictures  by  ancient  and  modern  masters  hung  upon  the 
walls. 

At  the  end  of  the  room  was  a  conservatory  from  which 
came  a  delicious  perfume. 

In  one  part  of  the  conservatory  was  an  aviary,  and  the 
air  was  melodious  with  the  songs  of  birds. 

The  furniture  was  of  ancient  carved  oak,  and  the  carpet 
the  richest  Turkey. 

"By  Jove  !  "  thought  Jack,  "the  old  boy  must  have  some 
coin,  and  he  knows  how  to  spend  it" 

Presently  Hilda  entered  the  room,  looking  ravishingly 
beautiful  in  a  morning  costume  of  blue  and  white,  which 
suited  her  admirably. 

She  was  very  different  from  the  stately  and  formal  girl 
who  had  spoken  to  him  on  the  night  of  the  town  and  gown 
riot,  when  he  and  his  companions  sought  refuge  in  her 
father's  house. 

A  pleasant  smile  lit  up  her  countenance,  and  extending 
her  hand  frankly,  she  said — 

"Why  have  you  not  been  to  see  us  before,  Mr.  Hark- 
away?  You  might  have  known  that  you  would  be  a 
welcome  guest." 

Jack  muttered  something  about  not  liking  to  intrude. 

"Indeed,"  Hilda  continued,  "your  presence  would  not 
have  been  an  intrusion  ;  far  from  it.  Neither  I  nor  my 
father  have  forgotten  that  you  saved  my  life." 

"I  am  sure  I  was  amply  recompensed  for  that  slight 
service  by  your  father's  thanks  at  the  time,"  answered 
Jack. 

"Do  you  wish  to  see  my  father  on  business,  or  is  this 
merely  a  friendly  visit  ?  "  she  asked. 


/A  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  ioi 

"'Well,  in  part,  I  have  come  on  business." 

A  shade  of  displeasure  crossed  her  face. 

"I  am  very  unfortunate  to  be  a  money-lender's  daugh- 
ters," she  replied  sadly,  "we  seem  to  have  no  friends  in 
the  world.  Everyone  who  calls  upon  papa  has  an  inter- 
ested motive ;  but  I  expect  papa  in  every  minute." 

"  Shall  I  be  troubling  you  if  I  wait?  " 

"Not  in  the  least.  I  should  very  much  prefer  it,"  she 
answered  quickly.  "I  will  take  advantage  of  the  oppor- 
tunity to  thank  you  for  the  favour  you  have  conferred  on 
me.  I  have  so  much  wished  to  meet  you." 

" Pray  say  no  more  about  that,"  exclaimed  Jack.  "I 
was  only  too  pleased  to  think  I  happened  to  be  near  at  the 
time  your  boat  was  swamped." 

"Papa  will  never  forget  you.  If  you  want  money,  he 
will  lend  it  to  you  without  interest.  I  verily  believe  all 
you  young  gentlemen  want  money,  do  you  not?  Oxford 
is  such  an  expensive  place  !  " 

"I  don't  think  I  am  very  fast,"  cried  Jack;  "but  I  am 
in  need  of  your  father's  services." 

"You  shall  have  what  you  want ;  leave  that  to  me." 

"The  thing  is  the  other  way,  Mr.  Manasses  wants  money 
from  me,"  exclaimed  Jack. 

"Indeed.  Then  you  have  been  doing  what  they  cal" 
bills. " 

' '  The  fact  is,  I  have  been  shamefully  robbed, "  replied 
Jack. 

' '  Robbed  ?  That  is  a  hard  word  to  use,  Mr.  Harkaway, " 
she  said.  "  I  hope  you  do  not  accuse  my  father  of  any 
complicity  in  the  matter." 

"  Oh,  no,  no  !  "  Jack  hastened  to  say.  "  Mr.  Manasses 
had  nothing  to  do  with  it.  Shall  I  tell  you  the  story  ?  I 
don't  care  about  talking  business  to  ladies,  but  you  are  so 
kind,  that  I  will  venture  to  trespass  upon  your  good- 
nature." 

"Pray  do  ;  I  should  like  to  hear  the  story,"  she  cried. 

Jack  told  her  about  Davis  and  Kemp,  and  how  they  had 
got  the  bill  for  .,£1,000  out  of  him. 

"  It  is  infamous  !  "  she  exclaimed.  ' '  Papa  would  never 
have  lent  himself  in  any  way  to  the  transaction,  if  he  had 
known  it.  Why  did  you  not  come  to  me  earlier  ?  " 

"  I  did  not  know  what  Mr.  Kemp  was  going  to  do  with 
the  bill/'  replied  Jack. 


I02  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"Something  must  be  done.  At  all  events,  papa  will 
not — shall  not  press  you,"  she  exclaimed. 

There  was  a  sharp  click  of  a  key  in  the  lock  of  the  front 
door,  and  a  heavy  footstep  in  the  passage. 

"That  is  papa, "she  continued.  "Will  you  go  to  his 
room  ?  It  is  the  next  one  to  this.  Good-bye,  Mr.  Hark- 
away.  May  we  hope  to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you 
again  soon  ? " 

"Thank  you!  I  shall  know  my  way  now,"  he  an- 
swered, taking  leave  of  her. 

Going  to  the  office,  he  found  Mr.  Manasses  seated  at  a 
desk  with  his  spectacles  on  his  nose,  pen  in  hand,  and  a 
ledger  open  before  him. 

"  My  name  is  Harkaway,"  began  Jack. 

"Ah,  yes,  Mr.  Harkaway,  of  St.  Aldate's,  freshman  in 
his  first  term.  You  received  a  note  from  me,  I  believe  ?  " 
inquired  the  Jew. 

' '  Yes,  and  that  is  why  I  am  here.  Will  you  allow  me 
to  tell  you  the  history  of  that  bill  of  mine  which  you 
hold  ? " 

"Certainly.  Take  a  chair,  if  you  please,"  cried  Man- 
asses. 

In  a  few  words  Jack  related  to  him  how  he  had  been, 
as  he  supposed,  drugged  and  robbed  by  means  of  loaded 
dice. 

The  Jew  heard  him  attentively. 

"Am  I  to  understand  that  you  mean  to  defend  any 
action  I  may  be  entitled  to  bring  against  you  ? "  he 
inquired. 

"No,"  replied  Jack.  "I  cannot  defend  the  action, 
because  it  is  a  debt  of  honour." 

"  That  is  spoken  like  a  gentleman.  I  have  given  value 
for  the  bill.  Nine  hundred  golden  sovereigns  Mr.  Kemp 
had  from  me." 

"  Were  you  not  afraid  to  advance  so  much  on  my 
name  ? "  asked  Jack. 

"I  had  my  channels  of  information,  and  I  found  that 
you  were  not  in  debt,  and  that  your  relations  are  rich ; 
and  now,  what  are  you  going  to  do  ?  " 

' '  I  don't  know. " 

"Can  you  pay  ?"  asked  Manasses. 

"  I  cannot  It  is  utterly  impossible  at  present.  If  you 
will  renew,  I  will  pay  you  so  much  a  year  for  the  use  f=f 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 03 

the  money.  Say  fifty  pounds  a  year ;  that  will  be  five 
per  cent.' 

"Well,  I  am  not  going  to  be  hard  on  you,"  replied 
the  Jew.  "I  will  renew,  and  you  can  pay  the  interest 
Have  you  seen  my  daughter?  " 

"Yes.     I  have  had  that  pleasure." 

"Allow  me  to  add  my  thanks  to  hers  for  the  service 
you  rendered  us." 

"I  have  already  been  overwhelmed  by  Miss  Hilda," 
answered  Jack. 

"Will  you  come  and  see  us  occasionally?  And  if 
you  want  money  at  any  time,  my  cheque-book  is  at  your 
service  on  easy  terms." 

Jack  was  overjoyed  at  the  way  in  which  the  money- 
lender had  received  him. 

He  thanked  him  over  and  over  again,  promised  to  let 
him  have  the  interest  of  the  bill  soon,  and  to  visit  him  in 
the  evening  before  long. 

"Hilda  can  sing  and  play.  Her  education  has  not 
been  neglected.  We  can  smoke  our  cigars,  and  you 
will  not  despise  my  claret,"  replied  the  Jew. 

Jack  went  back  to  his  college  delighted. 

He  had  escaped  the  danger  which  treatened  him  more 
easily  than  he  had  expected. 

But  he  did  not  know  the  crafty  nature  of  the  Jew. 

He  had  in  reality  got  out  of  one  plot  only  to  fall  into 
the  meshes  of  another. 

Hilda  had  conceived  an  attachment  for  the  handsome 
young  fellow  who  had  saved  her  life. 

It  was  the  Jew's  object  so  to  get  Jack  into  his  power  as 
to  make  him  marry  his  daughter. 

Manasses  did  not  know  anything  about  his  engage- 
ment to  Emily,  and  considered  his  gold,  coupled  with 
Hilda's  beauty,  quite  sufficient  to  cause  an  impressionable 
young  man  to  fall  an  easy  prey  to  his  snares. 

When  Jack  was  gone,  Mr.  Manasses  sought  his 
daughter,  who  was  listlessly  playing  with  the  flowers  in 
the  conservatory. 

"You  have  seen  him  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"Yes,  papa,  and  he  has  told  me  his  story.  You 
have  consented  not  to  press  him  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  He  shall  not  be  pressed  as  long  as  he  falls  in  with  my 


1 04  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

views.  Have  you  still  the  fondness  for  the  youth  that 
you  confessed  to  me  some  time  back?" 

"I  have,*  she  answered,  blushing. 

"You  could  choose  him  for  a  husband? ' 

She  made  no  answer,  but  her  rising  colour  too  well 
disclosed  her  secret. 

"  He  shall  be  yours  ;  it  is  only  a  question  of  time.  At 
present  he  is  in  my  toils  ;  I  will  drag  him  deeper  and 
deeper.  Let  your  beauty  do  the  rest,"  exclaimed  Moses 
Man  asses. 

He  tenderly  loved  his  daughter,  having  but  one  wish, 
and  that  was  that  she  should  marry  a  gentleman  whom 
she  could  love. 

Jack  was  everything  that  a  romantic  young  girl's  fancy 
could  desire. 

He  was  handsome,  courageous,  clever,  and  some  day 
he  would  be  very  rich. 

Hilda  sank  into  a  chair,  and  gave  herself  up  to  delight- 
ful reveries. 

She  loved  Jack. 

Her  father  had  promised  her  that  he  should  be  her 
husband. 

When  did  Moses  Manasses,  the  rich  money-lender  ot 
the  Corn  Market,  ever  fail  to  keep  his  word  ? 


CHAPTER  XVL 

MURDER  IN  THE  DARK. 

JACK  did  not  even  tell  Harvey  about  the  bill. 

The  secret  was  kept  by  himself  and  Sir  Sydney,  for  he 
would  not  have  had  Mr.  Bedington  know  anything  about 
it  for  the  world. 

He  paid  several  visits  to  the  money-lender's  house, 
passing  very  agreeable  evenings. 

Hilda  would  play  and  sing  to  him,  and  neither  she  nor 
her  father  ever  grew  tired  of  listening  to  his  yarns  about 
Pisangs  and  Limbians,  and  all  the  adventures  he  had 
been  engaged  in  among  the  islands  of  the  East  Indian 
Archipelago. 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 05 

After  a  time  he  met  Hilda  and  took  her  for  walks  in  the 
Christ  Church  meadows  and  other  places. 

Harvey  met  him  one  day  with  Hilda  hanging  on  his 
arm,  and  coming  to  his  rooms  after  hall,  spoke  to  him 
about  it. 

"Well,  what  harm  is  there?  "  asked  Jack. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know  exactly  what  harm  there  is,"  replied 
Harvey.  "  You  are  the  best  judge  of  that." 

"Cannot  a  man  walk  about  innocently  with  a  pretty 
girl  ?  " 

"Possibly." 

"  You're  jealous,  Dick,  my  boy,  and  are  sorry  you 
naven't  the  chance/'  said  Jack,  laughing. 

"  No,  I'm  not.  It  isn't  that.  You  get  yourself  talked 
about." 

"By  whom  ?" 

"I  heard  Kemp  and  Davis  in  hall  saying  you  were 
getting  nicely  into  old  Manasses'  ribs,  and  making  use 
of  his  daughter  to  do  it." 

"  Mr.  Kemp  had  better  keep  his  tongue  between  his 
teeth,  the  blackguard  !  "  exclaimed  Jack,  savagely. 

"Besides,"  continued  Harvey,  "you  are  engaged  to 
Emily,  you  know,  and  it  is  not  fair  to  spoon  another 
girl."' 

"  I  don't  spoon  her." 

"Then  she  is  spooney  on  you.  I  can  see  it  in  her 
eyes.  If  you  don't  mean  anything  fair  and  honest  to- 
wards the  girl  you've  no  right  to  make  a  fool  of  her," 
replied  Harvey. 

"  Why  do  you  talk  to  me  like  that  ?  "  said  Jack. 

"Because  I'm  your  friend." 

Jack  lighted  a  pipe  and  began  to  smoke  savagely. 

"  You've  got  a  way  of  saying  disagreeable  things,"  he 
exclaimed.  "But  you  may  be  right  after  all,  Dick.  1 
never  looked  at  it  in  the  light  you  do." 

There  was  a  knock  at  the  door,  and  opening  it, 
Monday  admitted  Kemp. 

"Is  your  master  in,  you  black  imp?  "  he  asked. 

"Me  go  see,  sare.  Um  wait  here  please,"  replied 
Monday. 

"  I'll  see  you  hanged  first,"  said  Kemp,  pushing  into  the 
room. 

Jack  was  surprised  to  see  Kemp,  and  said — 


106  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"Monday,  why  did  you  not  tell  Mr.  Kemp  I  was 
engaged?  You  know  I  said  I  was  not  in  to  anybody." 

"Mist'  Kemp  him  push  um  way  in,  sare.  Monday 
no  able  to  stop  him." 

"It's  like  Mr.  Kemp's  confounded  impudence,  then," 
said  Jack. 

"Oh,  don't  alarm  yourself.  I'm  not  going-  to  stay," 
returned  Kemp  ;  "I  only  looked  in  for  a  moment  to  ask 
a  question. " 

"That's  a  comfort,"  said  Jack. 

"Your  society  is  not  so  very  fascinating,  you  needn't 
flatter  yourself." 

"  Perhaps  not  I  have  no  dice  to-night,  and  don't  feel 
inclined  to  be  drugged." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  that?"  asked  Kemp,  flushing 
angrily. 

"  Percisely  what  I  say." 

"Of  course  your're  rather  raw  over  that  bill,"  replied 
Kemp,  checking  his  rising  anger.  "That's  what  I  came 
about.  How  have  you  got  on  ? " 

"  Find  out !  "  answered  Jack,  curtly. 

"If  I  can  give  you  any  help  in  holding  it  over,  I  will." 

"Thank  you,  I  require  no  help  from  you." 

"I  suppose  you  work  the  old  man  through  the  daughter. 
A  very  creditable  way  of  doing  business  ;  more  especially 
as  you  are  an  engaged  man,"  sneered  Kemp. 

"  Leave  my  room,  sir,"  said  Jack,  rising. 

"I  m  in  no  hurry,"  answered  Kemp. 

"If  you  don't  go,  I  shall  have  to  make  you.  I  don't 
care  for  the  company  of  a  liar  and  a  thief,"  said  Jack. 

"What  do  you  call  me?"  asked  Kemp,  all  the  blood 
going  out  of  his  thin  white  face. 

"I'll  repeat  it  if  you  like.  Mr.  Harvey  heard  my  re- 
marks." 

"You  shall  repent  this  I  By  Heaven!  you  shall  be 
sorry  for  uttering  those  words,"  said  Kemp. 

"  Make  yourself  scarce,"  cried  Jack,  "or  by  Jove  !  I  will 
trot  you  out  at  the  end  of  my  boot." 

Kemp  tried  to  speak,  but  was  unable  to,  through  rage. 

He  walked  rapidly  away,  and  slammed  the  door 
violently  behind  him. 

' '  What  a  murderous-looking  scoundrel  he  is, "  remarked 
Harvey.  "  By  the  way,  what  did  he  mean  about  a  bill  ?  " 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  i  07 

"Oh,  only  a  trifling  matter.  He  rooked  me  one  night 
in  Davis's  rooms.  It's  all  right. " 

"I  never  liked  the  man,"  cried  Harvey.  "To-day  I 
saw  him  in  Castle  Street,  talking  to  a  one-armed  man." 

' '  One-armed  !  "  said  Jack,  thinking  of  Hunston.  ' '  Did 
you  see  his  face  ?  " 

"  No,  he  darted  round  a  corner  before  I  could  come  up. " 

"It  couldn't  have  been  Hunston,  could  it?" 

"  Not  likely.  We  left  Hunston  in  the  East.  There  are 
lots  of  old  soldiers  with  only  one  arm,  you  know." 

"So  there  are,"  said  Jack. 

He  became  very  thoughtful,  and  his  mind  was  carried 
back  to-  the  days  when  he  was  a  castaway  amongst  the 
people  of  Limbi,  and  Hunston  was  the  chief  of  the  Pisang 
nation. 

In  the  evening,  Jack  went  to  Fabian  Hall's  rooms. 

They  were  reading  Herodotus  together  and  Jack  had 
taken  a  great  liking  to  the  quiet,  steady  man,  who  made 
ho  secret  of  his  ambition  to  come  out  among  the  first. 

When  they  had  finished  their  work,  Hall  said — 

' '  Come  out  for  a  stroll  for  an  hour.     It  will  do  us  good. " 

"  Where  shall  we  go  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"Over  Magdalen  Bridge,  and  up  the  Iffley  Road." 

"Very  well.  I'll  just  go  to  my  rooms  .and  leave  word 
for  Dawson  if  he  comes.  He  promised  to  look  me  up, 
this  evening." 

Jack  was  not  long  gone,  and  when  he  returned,  Hall 
was  ready  for  the  walk. 

"Shall  we  go  down  to  the  'Three  Cups,'  in  the  High 
Street,  and  get  just  one  glass  of  their  old  Oxford  ale  1  " 
he  asked. 

"I  would  much  rather  not.  We  can  send  to  the  buttery 
for  some.  There  is  always  the  chance  of  being  followed 
by  the  proctors  if  one  goes  into  a  pub.,  and  I  don't  want 
to  be  proctorised. " 

"All  right.  I'm  in  training,  and  perhaps  lam  better 
without  it,"  replied  Jack. 

"You  fast  fellows  are  like  sponge,"  remarked  Hall,  as 
they  walked  up  the  High. 

"Why?" 

"You've  got  a  perpetual  power  of  absorbing  or  mop- 
ping up  something  or  other." 

' '  Thank  you,"  said  Jack  laughing.      ' '  You  reading-men 


108  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

can  do  your  tea.  I've  seen  you  put  away  a  potful  of 
green  in  two  hours." 

'•  Ah  !  but  tea  doesn't  do  one  any  harm." 

"I  don't  know  that;  it  ruins  the  nerves." 

"That's  a  question.  At  all  events,  spirits  and  beer  play 
old  Harry  with  the  stomach,"  said  Fabian  Hall. 

They  walked  along  quickly,  for  it  was  cold,  and  inhaled 
the  fresh,  crisp  evening  air  with  pleasure. 

'Winter  term  was  drawing  to  a  close  and  soon  they 
would  all  go  home  for  the  Christmas  vacation. 

The  night  was  dark  as  pitch. 

So  dark,  indeed,  that  they  had  considerable  difficulty  in 
keeping  in  the  path,  and  at  last  chose  the  middle  of  the 
road. 

They  heard  footsteps  behind  them. 

"  Some  one  is  following  us,"  said  Jack.  "  I  hate 
people  walking  behind  me.  Hold  hard  !  " 

They  stopped. 

The  person  behind  continued  to  approach  them,  and  by 
the  faint  light  which  was  cast  upon  the  scene  by  a  distant 
gas-lamp,  Jack  endeavoured  to  make  out  his  features. 

In  this  attempt  he  was  baffled. 

They  had  proceeded  a  little  distance  beyond  the  turn- 
pike on  the  Iffley  Road. 

On  one  side  of  them  were  houses,  on  the  other  a  hedge, 
beyond  which  were  fields  leading  down  to  the  river. 

The  person,  whoever  he  was,  did  not  cease  walking 
quickly,  and  as  he  passed  Jack,  he  gave  him  a  rude  push. 

"What  do  you  mean  by  that? "  cried  Jack. 

The  next  moment  something  bright  flashed  in  the  air. 

"Take  care,"  cried  Hall. 

He  gave  Harkaway  a  violent  push,  and  received  the 
blade  of  a  knife  in  his  left  side. 

"I  am  stabbed,"  he  said  faintly. 

."Help  !  help  !  "  cried  Jack,  at  the  top  of  his  voice. 

"Curse  it?"  muttered  the  assassin.  "It's  the  wrong 
man." 

With  these  words  on  his  lips,  he  took  to  his  heels, 
jumped  over  the  hedge,  and  was  lost  to  sight. 

Quick  as  were  his  movements,  Jack  perceived  that  the 
assassin  had  but  one  arm. 

The  man  who  struck  the  blow  must  be  the  one  who 
had  been  talking  to  Kemp. 


JA  CX  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 09 

That  the  blow  was  meant  for  Jack  there  could  be  no 
doubt. 

He  had  said  distinctly  in  a  tone  of  rage,  that  he  had 
stabbed  the  wrong  man. 

Harkaway  was  to  have  been  the  victim. 

Fabian  Hall  had  generously  thrown  himself  in  the  way 
of  the  assassin's  knife. 

It  was  a  marvellous  escape. 

Jack  continued  to  call  loudly  for  help. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  neighbouring  houses  were 
aroused,  it  being  scarcely  bedtime,  as  ten  o'clock  had  not 
yet  struck. 

Several  men  came  to  the  spot,  bearing  lanterns,  and 
asked  Jack  a  variety  of  questions. 

He  could  only  say  that  he  was  taking  a  walk  with  his 
friend,  Mr.  Hall  of  St.  Aldate's,  when  they  were  set  upon 
by  a  one-armed  man,  and  without  any  provocation,  his 
friend  was  stabbed. 

Hall  was  lying  in  a  pool  of  blood  in  the  roadway,  and 
breathing  heavily. 

"  I  will  take  him  to  my  house,"  said  a  gentleman,  from 
the  opposite  buildings.  "  Let  some  one  run  for  the  doctor." 

The  unfortunate  young  man  was  lifted  up  by  sympa- 
thising hands,  carried  into  a  house,  and  laid  upon  a  bed 
in  a  room  on  the  ground  floor. 

The  flow  of  blood  was  very  great. 

Jack  trembled  violently  in  every  limb. 

In  spite  of  the  cold  air,  drops  of  perspiration  trickled 
down  his  face. 

He  had  had  a  narrow  escape  of  his  life. 

Who  could  his  enemy  be? 

It  was  in  vain  that  he  asked  himself  the  perplexing 
question. 

That  the  assassin  was  a  one-armed  man  there  could  be 
no  doubt. 

He  had  no  enemy  of  that  description  except  Hunston, 
but  the  chances  were  that  Hunston  was  far,  far  away, 
even  if  he  lived  at  all. 

Every  effort  was  made  to  stop  the  effusion  of  blood. 

The  arrival  of  the  doctor  was  awaited  with  the  utmost 
impatience  by  an  ever-increasing  crowd. 

Such  a  thing  as  the  murder  of  an  undergraduate  in  the 
open  street,  at  night,  was  a  thing  unheard  o£ 


JIO  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Was  the  motive  robbery  or  revenge  ? 

Jack  had  his  own  opinion,  but  he  said  nothing,  deeming 
it  more  prudent  to  keep  silence. 

He  fancied  that  Kemp  was  at  the  bottom  of  the  outrage. 

The  murdering  look  of  the  fellow,  when  he  left  his  room 
that  morning,  flashed  across  his  recollection. 

Fabian  Hall  seemed  to  be  sinking  fast 


CHAPTER  XVIL 

THE   PROCTOR   IS   PUZZLED. 

FOR  a  week  the  life  of  Fabian  Hall  was  in  danger,  but 
the  excellent  medical  skill  procured  for  him  saved  him. 

As  soon  as  possible,  he  was  moved  to  his  home,  and  it 
was  thought  that  in  about  three  months'  time  he  would 
be  able  again  to  take  up  his  residence  at  the  university. 

As  may  be  imagined,  the  attempted  assassination  of  an 
undergraduate  created  the  wildest  excitement  in  Oxford. 

By  some,  the  deed  was  set  down  to  motives  of  rob- 
bery. 

Every  effort  was  made  to  discover  the  dastardly  wretch, 
but  without  avail. 

No  one-armed  man  corresponding  to  the  description 
given  by  Jack  could  be  found. 

In  time  the  affair  was  forgotten  by  all  but  Jack  who, 
knowing  that  his  life  had  been  attempted,  was  very 
cautious  when  he  went  out  after  dark. 

He  was  of  opinion  that  Kemp  and  Davis  knew  more 
about  the  outrage  than  they  chose  to  tell. 

Harvey  agreed  with  him  in  this  idea. 

When  they  were  talking  the  matter  over  Harvey 
said — 

"  It  is  my  firm  belief  that  Hunston  has  come  back  from 
the  Malay  seas,  and  that  either  Kemp  or  Davis,  perhaps 
both  of  them, hired  him  to  kill  you." 

"Shouldn't  wonder,"  said  Jack.  "They  are  three 
villains,  and  they  all  hate  me  like  steam. " 

"  I  should  carry  a  pistol  if  I  were  you." 
"They  are  not  likely  to  make  another  attempt  till  the 
excitement  this  has  caused  has  blown   over. "  said  Jack. 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OX  FOR  D.  i\i 

"  Let's  have  a  stroll/'  said  Harvey,  yawning. 

Lectures  were  over  for  that  day,  and  not  knowing 
what  to  do  with  themselves,  they  were  smoking  lazily. 

"I'm  very  jolly, "  said  Jack. 

"  You're  getting  beastly  lazy.     Come  !  " 

As  he  spoke  there  was  a  noise  in  the  passage,  and  the 
scout's  voice  was  heard  exclaiming — 

"That's  one  for  his  nob  ;  I've  promised  it  him  ever  so 
long,  and  that's  one  for  his  conk,  a  regular  corker ;  and 
that's  been  owing  this  three  months  !  " 

"  What's  the  row  ?  "  asked  Harvey. 

"  It's  that  infernal  Buster  and  Monday,"  answered 
Jack  ;  "  at  least,  I  expect  so.  They're  always  sparring." 

"What  a  nuisance  the  fellows  are." 

The  door  opened,  and  Monday  rushed  in,  followed  by 
Buster. 

The  black's  nose  was  bleeding  freely,  and  it  was  evi- 
dent that  Buster  had  been  showing  him  the  mysteries  of 
the  noble  art  of  self-defence. 

"  I  say  this  won't  do,"  cried  Jack. 

"  Him  hit  um  nose,  sare,"  said  Monday,  "because  I 
tell  him  what  big  thief  he  is.  He  got  half  um  cold  fowl 
in  his  pocket." 

"You  sneaking  humbug,  I'll  pound  you  !  "  said  Buster, 
squaring  up  again. 

Monday  rushed  to  the  wall  where  Jack's  Eastern  tro- 
phies were  hanging. 

Taking  down  a  long,  cruel-looking  spear,  he  made  a 
rush  at  Buster. 

"Monday  have  um  life  !  "  cried  the  black  angrily, 

He  lunged  dangerously  at  Buster  with  the  spear. 

The  scout,  thoroughly  frightened,  backed  into  a  coal 
cupboard,  and  fell  amongst  the  coals,  under  which  he 
•  tried  to  burrow. 

"Save  me,  sir  !  Oh,  Mr.  Harkaway,  he'll  murder  me  !  " 
cried  Buster. 

"  It's  your  own  fault,  you  shouldn't  have  punched  him, " 
said  Jack,  enjoying  the  fun. 

"  Ha  !  nasty  white  man  thief !  "  said  Monday,  brandish- 
ing the  spear.  "That's  how  we  do  it  in  Limbi. " 

He  prodded  the  unfortunate  scout  in  the  leg. 

"  Ha  !  "  he  continued  ;  "dirty  English  coward  1  How 
um  like  that?  " 


I  la  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

This  was  followed  by  another  thrust  with  the  spear. 

"Oh,  my  !  "  screamed  the  scout  ' '  He's  been  and  stuck 
me  in  my  seat  of  honour.  Take  him  off,  sir  !  Oh,  Mr. 
Harkaway,  save  me  from  the  wicious  savage  !  " 

"Get  in  amongst  the  nobbly  ones,"  said  Harvey. 

"Call  him  off,  sir!"  continued  Buster.  "He  ain't 
safe !  I'll  have  the  law  of  him,  if  I  come  out  of  this 
alive  !  " 

"  Me  teach  you  to  punch  Monday's  nose.  Ugh  !  you 
English  beast  How  um  like  that  and  that  ? "  cried  Mon- 
day. 

Each  sentence  was  followed  by  a  severe  prick  from  the 
sharp-pointed  spear. 

Jack  had  been  laughing  till  the  tears  ran  dowi.  ni£ 
cheeks. 

"That'll  do,  Monday, "he  said.  "I  don't  think  he'll 
attack  you  any  more,  you've  tackled  him  so  well." 

Monday  hesitated  to  leave  off. 

"What!"  cried  Jack,  "you  won't  obey  orders,  you 
mutinous  dog  ?  Put  up  that  spear,  or  I'll  know  the  reason 
why." 

Monday  slowly  and  reluctantly  replaced  the  weapon. 

"Me  teach  him,"  he  grunted,  "me  teach  dirty  scout 
mans  to  hit  me.  Me  King  of  Limbi.  Me  never  have  um 
nose  punch  before." 

"Did  it  hurt?"  asked  Harvey. 

"Yes,  sare.  Um  nose  tender  part  Um  not  like  tr 
touch  nose." 

"Come  out  of  those  coals.  You  don't  want  to  stop 
there  all  day,  do  you  ?  "  exclaimed  Jack,  approaching  the 
cupboard. 

"Is  he  quiet,  sir  ?  "  asked  Buster. 

"Yes." 

"  Have  you  disarmed  the  savage  monster  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  tell  you.     Come  out." 

Buster  cautiously  emerged  from  the  place  of  conceal- 
ment where  he  had  found  shelter. 

His  face  and  hands  were  grimed  with  coal  dust,  and  he 
looked  blacker  than  Monday. 

He  put  his  hand  uneasily  behind  him  now  and  again, 
as  if  he  was  in  pain. 

"You're  a  nice  pair  of  beauties,  I  don't  think.  What 
am  I  to  do  with  you  ? "  asked  Jack. 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 1 3 

•'Sack  the  nigger,  sir,"  replied  Buster. 

"That  is  out  of  the  question.  I  think  a  good  deal 
more  of  Monday  than  I  do  of  you  or  all  the  scouts  in 
Oxford,"  replied  Jack. 

"That's  where  it  is,  sir,  you  make  him  more  cheeky." 

"  Mast' Jack  um  gentlemans,"  said  Monday.  "What 
him  care  for  white  things  like  you  ?  " 

' '  Would  you  ?  "  said  Buster,  clenching  his  fist  and  screw- 
ing up  his  lips  angrily. 

Monday  flew  towards  the  spear. 

"Here,  I  say,  none  of  that.  Turn  it  up.  I  can't  have 
these  rows  all  over  the  shop/'  exclaimed  Jack. 

"Why  him  not  let  me  alone,  sare?  "  asked  Monday. 

"Shake  hands  and  make  friends." 

"  What !"  replied  Buster,  scorn fnlly.  "  I  shake  hands 
with  a  cannibal  beast  like  that  ?  Not  me,  sir." 

"  Make  it  up  I  tell  you." 

"Not  me,  sir.  I  respects  myself  too  much.  I  can't 
abear  cannibals.  More  especially  since  he's  prodded  me 
in  three  different  places  in  the  last  new  pair  of  breeches 
you  was  good  enough  to  give  me." 

"  Well,  if  you  won't  pal,  you  must  get  out  of  my  room. 
Settle  your  rows  outside.  Do  you  hear  ?  Clear  out. 
Take  your  hook." 

"I'll  go  to  a  magistrate,  and  ask  if  a  decent  Christian 
is  to  be  prodded  in  the  seat  by  a  savage  heathen,"  replied 
Buster. 

"Make  yourself  scarce,"  roared  Jack. 

Buster  slowly  left  the  room,  and  was  heard  groaning 
and  grumbling  in  the  passage  for  some  time  afterwards. 

During  the  rest  of  the  day  he  bathed  his  wounds,  and 
took  sweet  counsel  with  his  friend  Clinker. 

"  If  I  was  you,"  said  Clinker,  "  I'd  poison  the  reptile." 

"  We'll  chuck  him  in  the  river,  that's  what  we'll  do  with 
him,"  replied  Buster. 

While  they  were  talking,  Monday  washed  his  face, 
which  Harvey  said  was  a  waste  of  time,  as  it  never 
looked  any  cleaner. 

Jack  and  Harvey  walked  out  arm-in-arm,  and  did  the 
High,  with  their  gowns  tucked  up  in  undergraduate 
fashion. 

They  had  discovered  a  very  quiet  and  respectable  hotef 
near  the  railway-station  where  there  was  a  billiard-room, 
8 


114  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Here  they  often  passed  an  hour  or  two,  either  playing 
or  watching  others  play,  sometimes  smoking  and  some- 
times drinking  the  beer  of  the  country,  in  the  pewter  of 
the  period. 

Their  footsteps  seemed  naturally  to  lead  them  to  the 
hotel. 

They  were  careful  to  look  round  well  before  they  entered, 
as  the  proctor  and  his  bulldogs  might  be  about. 

The  college  authorities  entertain  a  pious  horror  of  pub- 
lic houses,  and  if  Oxford  men  are  found  in  them,  they  are 
visited  by  heavy  pains  and  penalties. 

"  I  shan't  be  able  to  stop  long,"  said  Jack. 

"Why  not?" 

"I've  promised  Tom  Garden  to  spin  down  in  the 
St.  Aldate's  eight  to  Abingdon  to-day." 

"That's  a  stiffish  pull.     How  are  you  getting  on  ?  " 

"Stunningly,"  replied  Jack.  "The  coxswain  of  the 
O.  U.  B.  C.  was  good  enough  to  compliment  me  yester- 
day on  my  satisfactory  progress." 

"Then  it's  settled  you  row  in  the  'varsity  eight  ai 
Putney  next  year." 

"Barring  accidents,"  said  Jack. 

They  entered  the  hotel,  and  nodding  to  the  landlord 
went  into  the  billiard-room. 

A  tall,  loudly-dressed  man  was  playing  with  the  marker. 

When  he  saw  the  university  men  come  in,  he  exclaimed — 

"  I  say,  you  fellows  ought  to  look  out  for  sharks." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  "said  Jack,  "  did  you  speak  to  me?  " 

"  Yes  ;  you  or  your  friend." 

"I  am  not  in  the  habit  of  speaking  to  strangers,"  re^ 
plied  Jack,  "and  I  don't  know  what  you  mean  by  sharks." 

"  Proctors,  of  course,"  answered  the  man.  "  My  namfe 
is  Gooch.  Is  that  good  enough  for  you?  " 

Jack  sat  down,  and  lighting  his  pipe,  took  no  notice  ol 
aim. 

"You're  civil,  anyhow,"  said  the  man.  "You  univer- 
>ity  fellows  are  stuck  up  and  no  mistake.  I  wanted  to 
;>e  kind ;  the  bulldogs  have  been  in,  and  I  don't  think 
hey  are  far  off  now. " 

Jack  remained  silent. 

"  I'll  tell  you  what  I'll  do,"  Gooch  went  on,  "  I'll  give 
•ou  a  game  at  billiards." 

"  You  can't  play,"  said  Jack,  looking  up. 


JA  CK  HA  RA'A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  \  i  5 

' '  Can't  I  ?  By  Jove  !  I'll  play  you  for  a  fiver,  and  post 
the  money." 

"I  don't  gamble." 

"  Say  half-a-crown  then,  that  won't  break  your  bank/ 

"Very  well,  I'll  play  you  for  half-a-crown,  fifty  up,  and 
give  you  forty-nine  out  of  fifty ;  and  I'll  bet  you  won't 
have  a  stroke  in  the  game  if  you  give  me  the  break,"  said 
Jack. 

"What !  "  replied  Gooch,  "  you  make  fifty  at  a  break  ? 
Not  you." 

"  I  didn't  say  so,"  replied  Jack.  "  All  I  say  is  that  I'll 
play  you  fifty  up  for  the  table,  and  bet  you  half-a-crown 
that,  if  I  have  the  break,  you  won't  have  a  stroke  in  the 
game." 

"Not  have  a  stroke  in  the  game,"  repeated  Gooch 
thoughtfully  ;  "and  give  me  forty-nine  out  of  fifty  ?  " 

"That's  what  I  said." 

"Very  well,  done  with  you.     Fire  away." 

Jack  took  up  a  cue,  chalked  it,  and  placed  his  ball  in 
balk. 

He  purposely  made  a  miss. 

"  Forty-nine,  love,"  said  the  marker.  "A  miss  made  ; 
game  to  you,  Mr.  Gooch." 

"  I  have  won,"  said  Gooch. 

"Have  you?  I  don't  see  it,"  replied  Jack  laughing. 
*'  You  haven't  had  a  stroke  in  the  game." 

"  Oh,"  answered  Gooch,  with  a  grin. 

"You've  won  the  game,  and  I  pay  sixpence  for  the 
table,  but  I  win  my  bet  of  half-a-crown  that  you  shouldn't 
have  a  stroke  in  the  game ;  therefore  I  make  two  bob. 
Half-crown.  Thank  you.  Marker,  take  sixpence." 

"Well,"  replied  Gooch,  looking  rather  foolish,  "I've 
lost  that.  You  can  afford  to  stand  drinks." 

"Not  I,  "said  Jack. 

"  You've  had  me." 

"  I  meant  to,"  replied  Jack.  "How  do  you  feel  over 
it  ?  Now  you  can  go  on  with  your  game  with  the  marker, 
and  perhaps  you  won't  be  so  very  familiar  with  strangers 
next  time." 

Gooch  looked  very  sulky.  He  put  on  his  hat  took  up 
his  stick,  and  walked  to  the  door. 

"  Hullo  !  "  he  exclaimed,  darting  back,  "  the  senior 
proctor,  by  Jove. " 


j  16  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Jack  and  Harvey  jumped  up  like  lightning. 

They  looked  at  the  window,  but  there  was  no  escape- 
'Get  under  the  table,  Dick,"  cried  Jack 
'They'll  see  me  there,"  said  Harvey. 
'  No,  they  won't.     I'll  open  the  window,  and  say  you 
got  out  that  way." 
'  But  y  ou  ?  " 

'  I'm  all  right.     You'll  see  a  lark  with  the  proctor. " 
'  What  do  you  mean  to  do  ?  " 

'  Leave  that  to  me.  Under  you  go,  quick !  "  cried 
Jack. 

Harvey  crept  under  the  table,  and  the  next  moment  the 
proctor  with  his  marshals  entered  the  room. 

"  Your  name  and  college,  sir?  "  asked  the  proctor,  with 
a  severe  expression. 

"  Harkaway,  of  St.   Aldate's,"  replied  Jack. 

"  I  think  I  have  seen  you  before." 

"No,  sir,  never  had  the  honour  of  an  interview  pre- 
viously." 

"  Hum  !  "said  the  proctor.  "Where  is  your  compan- 
ion ? " 

"My  companion  ?" 

"  Yes  :  we  saw  two  of  you  through  the  window." 

"Ah,  indeed, "said  Jack,  "very  negligent  of  the  pro- 
prietor of  this  hotel  not  to  put  up  blinds.  I  will  re- 
monstrate with  him." 

"But  your  friend,  where  is  he?  I  demand  an  answer, 
sir." 

"Got  through  the  window,  I  think,  sir,"  exclaimed 
Jack.  "He  was  so  frightened,  when  he  heard  you 
were  coming,  that  he  said  he  would  take  refuge  in  the 
sewer. " 

"The  sewer!  Nonsense.  Did  you  say  the  sewer,  Mr. 
Harkaway  ?  " 

"  I  did,  sir,"  replied  Jack. 

"Dear  me,  that  is  odd,"  said  the  proctor,  who  was 
much  puzzled. 

Suddenly  Jack  imitated  Harvey's  voice  and,  using  his 
wonderful  power  of  ventriloquism,  caused  a  sepulchral 
voice  to  issue  from  under  the  floor. 

"  Help,  help  !  "  cried  the  voice.  "  I  have  got  into  the 
sewer  ;  the  water  is  carrying  me  to  the  river.  Help,  help  ! 
I  shall  be  drowned  " 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  i  j  7 

"God  bless  me!     Foolish  young  man!  what  has  he 
4one  ?  "  said  the  proctor. 

The  bulldogs  looked  blankly  at  one  another. 

As  for  Jack  he  did  not  move  a  muscle  of  his  face. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

IN    THE    SEWER- 

HARVEY  continued  to  lie  like  a  log  under  the  table, 
Jhough  he  would  have  given  the  world  to  be  able  to  laugh. 

Knowing  Jack's  power  and  his  liking  for  fun,  he  could 
guess  what  was  coming. 

Looking  at  Jack  very  gravely,  the  proctor  exclaimed — 

"  How  did  your  friend  get  into  the  sewer?  " 

"That's  more  than  I  can  tell  you,  sir,  though  I  think 
there  is  a  trap  in  the  yard,  which  leads  to  it,"  replied  Jack. 

"  What  is  to  be  done?  " 

"  Call  the  police,  sir.  Do  something  for  him.  I  expect 
the  tide  is  carrying  him  down  to  the  river.  It  is  dreadful 
to  think  that  that  he  may  be  stifled  in  the  fetid  waters." 

"So  it  is.     Speak  to  him  and  see  where  he  is  now." 

Jack  went  down  on  his  hands  and  knees,  and  shouted — 

"  Harvey  !  " 

There  was  no  answer. 

"  He's  gone,  sir,"  cried  Jack.  "Come  into  the  street  ; 
there  is  a  grating  there.  He  would  be  carried  that  way." 

"Ah,  yes,  the  street.  We  must  get  assistance.  Per^ 
haps  with  men  and  pickaxes  we  can  yet  save  the  foolish 
fellow,"  answered  the  proctor. 

In  a  state  of  intense  excitement,  proctor,  bulldogs, 
landlord,  and  every  one  connected  with  the  establish- 
ment, ran  into  the  street. 

"For  Heaven's  sake  !  save  me  !  I  can't  hold  on  much 
longer,"  cried  a  voice  beneath  their  feet. 

"There  he  is.  Thank  God  !  he  lives,"  exclaimed  the 
proctor. 

"Get  pickaxes,"  cried  the  landlord.  "I'll  give  five 
pounds  out  of  my  own  pocket  to  the  man  who  saves  him." 

"And  I  will  give  twenty,"  said  the  proctor. 

"  Get  pickaxes  !  Get  pickaxes  !  "  cried  the  crowd, 
which  increased  rapidly  every  moment. 


1 18  JACK  HARKA  WAY  aT  OXFORD. 

44  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  one  of  another. 

"The  proctor  was  after  a  'varsity  man,"  answered 
Jack  in  a  whisper  ;  "  and  to  avoid  him,  he  crept  into  the 
sewer  and  can't  get  back  again." 

This  information  flew  from  one  to  another. 

The  proctor  and  his  attendants  were  never  very  popular, 
either  with  the  towns  people  or  the  undergraduates. 

A  thrill  of  horror  ran  through  the  crowd. 

"Cries  of  "  Shame  !  "  arose 

Seeing  he  had  stimulated  the  spectators  to  the  proper 
point,  Jack  leant  over  a  narrow  grating. 

"I  hear  him,"  he  said;  "he  is  holding  on  to  part  of 
the  brickwork.  How  the  water  is  rushing  towards  the 
river.  Save,  oh  !  save  my  friend  !  " 

"  We  will — we  will,  or  perish  in  the  attempt,  "answered 
several  men  wh«  had  arrived  with  picks  and  spades. 

They  began  with  considerable  energy  to  break  up  the 
street 

At  intervals,  faint  moans  and  shrieks  seemed  to  come 
out  of  the  bowels  of  the  earth. 

"Workaway,  my  men,  work  away,  "said  the  proctor. 

In  a  short  time,  a  deep  hole  was  made  in  the  road. 

It  seemed  as  if  they  were  coming  to  the  drowning  man 
now. 

' '  Are  you  alive  still  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"Yes,  but  I  am  sinking  fast,"  replied  the  voice. 

"  Hear  that  ?  He's  sinking  1 "  exclaimed  a  man  in  the 
crowd  "  I  say  it's  a  burning  shame  that  these  proctors 
should  kill  men  in  this  way." 

"Let's  stone  them,"  remarked  another. 

The  attitude  of  the  crowd  became  threatening. 

' '  Do  nothing  rashly, "  exclaimed  Jack.  ' '  Our  first  duty 
is  to  rescue  Mr.  Harvey  of  St.  Aldate's  who  is  in  the  sewer. " 

Suddenly  the  voice  below  said — 

"  I  am  going  !  I  can  hold  on  no  longer.  Save  me  5 
Oh,  help,  help  !  " 

"  He's  gone,"  said  Jack.  "Go  to  the  river.  We  may 
catch  him  at  the  mouth  of  the  sewer. " 

There  was  a  rush  down  the  street  to  the  bridge  at  the 
top  of  Castle  Street,  where  the  sewer  emptied  itself  into 
the  river. 

A  dozen  strong  men  threw  themselves  into  the  river. 

Suddenly  a  voice  rang  out  on  the  opposite  bank. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  i  ig 

"Sold  again,"  it  said.  "I've  done  you  this  time,  sir, 
I've  got  out,  and  I'm  off  to  college." 

"What's  the  meaning  of  this  ? "  asked  the  proctor,  look- 
ing round  angrily. 

"Ha,  ha,  ha  !  "  roared  the  voice,  disappearing  in  the 
distance. 

The  people  seemed  pleased  to  think  that  the  under- 
graduate had  escaped. 

"  Never  mind,  sir,"  observed  one  of  the  bulldogs. 
"We've  got  their  names." 

"Where's  Mr.  Harkaway ?  "  asked  the  proctor. 

Jack  had  disappeared  in  the  confusion. 

"  Bonnet  'em  !  "  said  a  rough. 

"They  ain't  got  no  hats,  only  flat  caps,"  said  another. 

Hustled  and  bustled  and  pushed  about  the  proctor  and 
his  satellites  were  glad  to  make  their  escape. 

While  the  crowd  were  dispersing  and  talking  over  the 
wonderful  occurrence  Jack  hastened  back  to  the  hotel. 

Harvey  was  liquoring  up  at  the  bar. 

The  landlord  had  just  returned,  and  was  astonished  to 
see  Harvey. 

"  How  did  you  do  it?  "  he  asked. 

' '  Harka  way's  a  ventriloquist.  Hold  your  noise, "  replied 
Harvey. 

"Keep  it  quiet,"  said  Jack.  "We  can  have  many  a 
spree  this  winter." 

"  It's  a  licker  to  me  how  you  do  it,"  said  the  landlord. 
"I  thought  he  was  in  the  sewer." 

"  Of  course  you  did." 

"But  if  I'd  stopped  to  think,  I  might  have  known  there 
was  no  entrance  to  it  in  my  back  yard." 

"That's  the  beauty  of  it,"  returned  Jack.  "People 
don't  stop  to  think." 

"Suppose  we  have  a  bottle  of  fiz  after  that  ?  "  remarked 
Harvey. 

"I'm  agreeable,"  replied  Jack. 

"  Do  you  think  the  proctor  will  say  anything  to  us  ?  " 
asked  Harvey. 

"No,  I  don't.  We  shall  be  let  off  this  time.  He 
doesn't  know  whether  he's  been  made  a  fool  of  or  not," 
replied  Jack. 

They  had  the  wine,  and  went  back  to  college,  chuck- 
ling over  the  adventure. 


120  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Jack  was  right  for  once  ;  the  proctor  did  not  seuv^  ^«* 
them,  and  the  affair  was  passed  over. 

While  Jack  was  putting  on  his  flannels  to  go  foi  tht 
row  to  Abingdon,  his  scout  brought  in  a  letter. 

He  hastily  tore  it  open. 

"It's  from  home.  Excuse  me,  Dick,  will  you,  while  I 
read  it  ? "  said  he. 

Harvey  nodded. 

Presently  Jack  exclaimed — 

"  Emily  has  arrived  from  Paris,  and  after  the  Christmas 
vacation  she  is  to  take  the  position  of  a  governess  a  little 
way  out  of  Oxford." 

"  Won't  that  be  jolly  ?" 

'  'Awfully.  I  should  like  to  have  her  near  us  ;  and  here's, 
an  invitation  for  you  to  come  and  spend  a  fortnight 
with  us." 

"  Your  governor's  a  trump,"  said  Harvey. 

"Will  you  come?" 

"  Will  a  duck  swim  ?     Of  course  I  will." 

"  That's  settled  then,"  said  Jack.  "We'll  have  some 
skating  ;  it  will  be  rare  fun. " 

"  There's  one  thing  you  will  have  to  look  out  for. 
Jack,"  replied  Harvey,  thoughtfully. 

"  What's  that  ?" 

"  You  mustn't  let  Emily  see  you  walking  out  with  Miss 
Hilda  Manasses." 

"What  can  I  do?  I  must  keep  in  with  the  old  Jew, 
and  I'll  tell  you  why  in  confidence.  I  never  have  told 
you  before,  but  I  will  now." 

In  a  few  words  Jack  informed  him  how  he  had  been 
robbed  by  Kemp,  and  that  he  owed  the  Jew  a  thousand 
pounds. 

"That's  bad.  I  had  no  idea  you  were  in  such  a  fix," 
replied  Harvey  ;  "  and  I  never  felt  the  want  of  money 
so  much  in  my  life  before." 

"Why?" 

"Because  if  I  had  it  I'd  give  it  to  you." 

The  tears  came  to  Jack's  eyes  as  he  grasped  his  friend 
by  the  hand. 

"  I  know  you  would  let  me  have  it,"  he  said;  "but 
we  must  try  and  do  without  it" 

Soon  after  he  hastened  down  to  the  river,  and  took  his 
place  in  the  eigrht 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  \  2 1 

She  went  along  at  a  rattling  pace,  with  a  good  way  on 
her,  and  the  captain  was  well  satisfied  with  his  crew. 

The  next  day,  while  walking  in  the  Christ-Church 
meadows,  he  met  Hilda. 

She  blushed  at  seeing  him,  and  he  politely  offered  her 
his  arm. 

"  No,  thank  you.  I  would  rather  walk  alone,"  she 
answered. 

They  walked  up  and  down  the  broad  walk  side  by  side, 
talking  about  indifferent  subjects. 

It  was  clear  from  the  way  in  which  the  girl  changed 
colour  now  and  again,  that  there  was  more  on  her  side 
than  a  feeling  of  friendship  for  him. 

But  Jack  never  thought  of  love  in  connection  with  her. 

His  heart  was  given  to  Emily. 

Perhaps  if  he  had  never  seen  Emily  he  might  have 
loved  Hilda. 

The  Jewish  maiden  was,  strictly  speaking,  more  beauti- 
ful than  Emily. 

"  You  so  seldom  come  and  see  me  now,  Mr.  Hark- 
away,"  she  said,  in  a  tone  of  gentle  reproach. 

"I  am  in  training,"  he  replied.  "That  keeps  me  very 
quiet." 

"I  should  like  to  see  you  row  at  Putney.  I  have 
always  heard  it  is  a  grand  race." 

"  Get  your  father  to  take  you  to  town  for  a  few  days," 
suggested  Jack. 

"Oh  !  you  don't  know  papa,"  she  answered.  "  I  don't 
think  anything  would  induce  him  to  leave  Oxford.  It  is 
so  long  since  I  had  a  change  I  can  scarcely  remember  it." 

All  at  once  a  cheery  voice  exclaimed — 

"Hullo,  Jack!  are  you  so  deeply  engaged  that  you 
don't  recognise  old  friends  ?  " 

Jack  looked  up,  and  saw  Mr.  Bedington  and,  to  his 
consternation,  Emily  was  hanging  on  his  arm. 

She  was  deadly  pale. 

Jack  had  been  talking  almost  affectionately  to  Hilda, 
and  Emily's  surprise  at  seeing  him  with  a  hansome,  well- 
dressed  girl  was  unbounded. 

' '  How  do  you  do,  father  ? "  he  exclaimed  in  some 
confusion.  "Why  did  you  not  say  you  were  coming?" 

At  the  same  time  he  held  out  his  hand  to  Emily. 

"This  is  indeed  a,  pleasure,"  continued  Jack. 


122  JA CK  HA RKA  WA  Y  AT  OXFORD. 

She  did  not  seem  to  see  his  proffered  hand,  and 
returned  his  salutation  very  coldly. 

"We  thought  we  would  take  you  by  surprise,"  ex- 
claimed Mr.  Bedington.  "Emily  and  I  have  come  up 
about  her  situation.  She  will  be  a  governess,  you  know, 
and  so  we  looked  you  up.  Your  scout  told  me  you  had 
gone  for  a  walk,  so  we  ordered  tea  at  five  in  your  room, 
and  came  out  to  look  for  you." 

"Cool  of  you,"  said  Jack,  laughing.  "But  I  will  do 
all  that  a  poor  friendless  bachelor  can  to  make  you 
comfortable." 

"You  have  not  introduced  me  to  your  friend,"  con- 
tinued Mr.  Bedington. 

"Oh!  excuse  me,  will  you  ?  Miss  Hilda  Manasses — 
my  father  and  Emily,"  replied  Jack,  still  more  confused. 

Hilda  and  Emily  glanced  at  one  another  like  two  en- 
raged tigresses. 

Their  woman's  instinct  told  them  that  they  both  loved 
the  same  man. 

"I  must  go  home  now,"  exclaimed  Hilda.  "Papa 
will  be  expecting  me." 

"Oh,  don't  go,"  said  Jack. 

"Pray  don't  let  me  drive  you  away,"  cried  Mr.  Bed- 
ington. 

"Thank  you  very  much,"  returned  Hilda.  "I  really 
must  run  away.  Good-bye,  Mr.  Harkaway.  May  we 
expect  you  soon  ? " 

She  darted  an  unkind  glance  at  Emily  as  she  spoke. 

"Yes,  I  think  so.  I  will  try  to  spare  an  evening 
shortly, "  answered  Jack. 

"Don't  make  a  favour  of  it,  please,"  said  Hilda.  "I 
can't  bear  being  patronised." 

"I  didn't  mean  it  in  that  way." 

"Never  mind;  I'll  forgive  you  this  once.  You  uni- 
versity men  read  so  much  and  see  so  little  society,  poor 
fellows,  that  you  have  an  awkward  way  of  expressing 
yourselves,  isn't  that  it  ?  " 

"Very  possibly,"  answered  Jack. 

Hilda  nodded,  and  tripped  quickly  away  under  the 
trees,  Jack  lifting  his  mortar-board  as  she  did  so. 

"Pretty  girl  that,"  said  Mr.  Bedington,  "though  her 
name  has  an  Israelitish  sound. " 

' '  She  is  a  Jewess, "  replied  Jack. 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 23 

"I  thought  so.  Let  us  hope  you  have  not  been  curry- 
ing favour  with  the  daughter  in  order  to  borrow  money 
from  the  Jew  ?  " 

Mr.  Bedington  looked  Jack  through  and  through  with 
his  clear,  bright  eyes. 

Jack's  gaze  fell  before  this  searching  stare. 

"Oh,  no,"  he  replied.  "Thanks  to  your  liberality, 
sir,  I  am  in  no  want  of  money. " 

It  was  the  first  falsehood  that  he  had  ever  told  Mr.  Bed- 
ington, and  the  hot,  tell-tale  blood  mantled  his  face,  and 
made  it  burn,  so  that  he  turned  away. 

"Come," continued  Mr.  Bedington,  "our  time  is  short. 
We  return  to-night  Show  us  some  of  the  lions  of  Ox- 
ford." 

Jack  led  the  way  to  the  river,  and  Emily  walked  silently 
by  his  side,  thinking  of  the  beauty  of  Hilda,  the  Jew's 
daughter. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 
KEMP'S  NEW  PLOT. 

WHEN  Jack  had  shown  Emily  and  Mr.  Bedington  as 
much  as  he  could  in  a  short  time,  they  found  themselves 
near  the  Radcliffe  Library  on  their  way  to  his  rooms. 

"You  should  see  the  library  by  moonlight,"  he  ex- 
claimed ;  "  that's  the  time." 

He  addressed  the  remark  to  Emily,  who  took  no  notice 
of  him. 

It  was  a  relief  when  they  went  into  St.  Aldate's. 

Monday  and  Buster  had  made  up  their  differences  for 
a  time,  and  began  to  bow  and  scrape  as  the  little  party 
entered. 

"How  um  do,  Missey  Em'ly?"  exclaimed  Monday. 
" No  find  tarn  Pisangs  here." 

"Thank  goodness,  no,  Monday,"  replied  Emily,  smil- 
ing for  the  first  time. 

She  shook  him  by  the  hand,  to  the  intense  disgust  of 
Buster,  who  afterwards  told  Clinker  in  confidence  that  he 
couldn't  imagine  how  a  lady  could  speak  civilly  to  a  black 
thief  like  that. 


124  /ACK  HA RKA WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

After  tea  Harvey  and  Tom  Garden  dropped  in. 

This  was  a  great  relief  to  Jack,  for  Carden  and  Mr. 
Bedington  began  to  talk  upon  boating  matters,  in  which 
conversation  Harvey  joined,  thus  giving  him  an  oppor- 
tunity of  speaking  privately  to  Emily. 

She  sat  down  near  a  window,  and  was  looking  out  in  a 
dreamy  sort  of  manner  at  the  quad. 

"Emily,  dearest,"  said  Jack. 

"  Well  ?  "  she  answered  shortly. 

"  You  are  angry  with  me." 

"  Have  I  not  cause  to  be?  "  she  replied. 

"You  will  break  my  heart,  if  you  do  not  listen  to  me." 

"What  have  you  to  say ?"  Emily  exclaimed,  turning 
her  sad  blue  eyes  upon  him. 

"You  are  jealous  of  Hilda." 

"Who  is  Hilda?" 

"Miss  Manasses.  I  mean  the  girl  you  met  me  with," 
replied  Jack,  struggling  boldly  with  the  difficulty. 

"Since  we  are  engaged,"  she  answered,  "you  cannot 
wonder  at  my  feeling  hurt. " 

"But  there  is  nothing  in  it." 

"I  don't  know  anything  about  it.  All  I  do  know  is 
that  you  thought  me  miles  away  in  France,'  and  during 
my  absence  you  go  walking  about  with  a  big,  tall 
creature,  who  I  am  sure  is  not  the  least  bit  pretty,  but 
only  overgrown  and  horridly  fast." 

"I  met  her  by  accident — will  you  believe  me ? " 

"Of  course  I  will,  but  you  must  have  met  before,  or 
else  you  are  a  bad,  bold  man  to  speak  to  a  girl  you  don't 
know,  and  she  is  something  worse  to  answer  you." 

"  Her  father  does  bills." 

"  What  may  that  be  ? " 

"Why,  he  gives  you  money  on  your  note  of  hand,  and 
I  wanted  a  little  accommodation,  that's  all,"  said  Jack. 

"That  is  no  reason  why  you  should  be  civil  to  his 
daughter,  is  it  ?  " 

"Well,  no,  not  exactly,"  said  Jack,  stupidly. 

"Promise  me,  Jack,  that  you  will  never — never  speak 
to  her  again,  and  I'll  forgive  you,"  exclaimed  Emily, 
brightening  up. 

"With  pleasure.  The  girl  is  nothing  to  me,  and  I  had 
no  more  idea  than  a  baby  that  I  should  meet  her  to-day." 

He  raised  her  hand  to  his  lips  and  kissed  it 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  125 

"  There  now,  Emmy  dear,  we  are  friends,  are  we  not  ? " 
he  added. 

"Yes,"  she  replied.  "You  never  deceived  me  yet, 
Jack,  darling,  and  I  will  not  believe  that  the  atmosphere 
of  Oxford  has  so  far  corrupted  you  as  to  make  you  base." 

"  It  never  shall.     I  only  love  you  in  the  world." 

"And  I — do  1  not  love  you?"  she  asked. 

"I'd  lay  my  life  on  it,  Emmy,  dear,"  he  answered. 
"  Don't  fret  any  more,  there's  a  pet." 

Jack  and  Emily  got  quite  friendly  again,  and  he  was 
sorry  when  they  had  to  go. 

Mr.  Bedington  slipped  a  ten-pound  note  into  his  hand 
and  told  him  to  make  the  best  use  of  his  time,  and  then 
Jack  saw  them  off  at  the  station. 

He  returned  to  his  rooms  rather  thoughtful,  thinking 
one  moment  of  Emily,  the  next  of  Hilda,  and  after  that  of 
the  old  Jew,  wondering  what  he  would  do  about  the  bill. 

As  he  was  crossing  the  quad,  a  tall,  handsome  man, 
rather  poorly  though  neatly  dressed,  stopped  him. 

"  Mr.  Harkaway,  I  think  ?  "  he  said. 

"Yes,"  replied  Jack. 

"My  name  is  Franklin,"  continued  the  stranger. 

"  Are  you  a  St.  Aldate's  man?  I  think  I  know  your 
face,  but  I  am  not  sure." 

"I  am  one  of  the  servitors  of  the  college,"  replied 
Franklin.  "Perhaps  you  do  not  know  what  that  is,"  he 
added,  with  a  sad  smile. 

"  Not  exactly,"  answered  Jack. 

"I  can  soon  explain.  My  father  is  poor,  and  unable  to 
allow  me  more  than  eighty  pounds  a  year,  so  I  could  not 
come  up  to  college  as  you  did.  I  was  obliged  to  enter 
as  a  servitor,  which  cuts  down  the  fees." 

"  Oh,  I  know,"  replied  Jack,  "  you  mark  the  names  in 
chapel  and  do  things  in  hall.  Well,  my  dear  fellow,  you 
are  none  the  worse  for  that." 

"I  hope  not.  It  is  not  money  that  makes  the  gentle- 
man," replied  Franklin,  proudly;  "but  I  want  to  speak 
to  you  privately,  if  you  will  not  think  me  intrusive." 

"Not  in  the  least.     Come  to  my  rooms,  will  you?  " 

Franklin  followed  him  to  his  rooms,  and  Jack,  giving 
him  an  arm-chair,  stirred  the  fire,  brought  out  whisky, 
and  made  some  grog. 

"Now  you  arc  at  home,  I  hope,"  he  said. 


I26  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"Thank  you,  I  am  going  to  light  my  pipe,  and  then 
the  mind  of  man  can  desire  no  more.  Are  you  aware 
you  have  two  enemies  in  this  college  ?  " 

"I  know  it  very  well.  You  mean  Kemp  and  Davis," 
replied  Jack. 

"Those  are  the  two  men." 

"  What  are  they  doing  now  ?     Anything  new  ?  " 

"The  fact  is,"  said  Franklin,  "I  have  picked  up  an 
anonymous  letter  which  fell  out  of  Mr.  Kemp's  pocket  at 
hall." 

"Is  it  in  Kemp's  writing?  " 

"I  fancy  so,  though  it  is  disguised.  My  first  impulse 
was  to  give  it  him  back  again,  but  as  I  approached  for 
that  purpose  I  heard  Kemp  say  to  Davis,  '  I  have  written 
the  letter,  and  you  may  depend  upon  it,  that  Harkaway 
shall  not  row  in  the  eight  at  Putney.' " 

"  How  can  they  stop  me  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"That  is  a  mystery  at  present,"  replied  Franklin. 
"Well,  hearing  this  remark,  I  resolved  to.  read  the  letter. 
There  is  nothing  dishonourable  in  that  I  hope." 

"I  don't  think  so.  You  had  your  suspicions,  you 
see. " 

"That's  the  way  I  argued." 

"What  is  the  letter  about?  " 

"It  is  written  by  a  sincere  friend  to  Moses  Manasses, 
the  Jew  money-lender,  telling  him  that  you  are  engaged 
to  be  married  to  a  Miss  Emily  Scratchley,  who  has  been 
to  see  you  to-day." 

"  That's  true  enough." 

"  And  it  goes  on  to  say  that  you  are  only  making  a 
fool  of  Miss  Hilda  Manasses,  for  the  basest  purpose  of 
which  a  man  of  honour  can  be  accused." 

"The  villains  !  "  exclaimed  Jack.  "  I  have  never  said 
a  word  to  Hilda  that  could  lead  her  to  think  I  was  fond 
of  her. " 

"You  know  best  of  course.  If  I  might  presume  to 
give  you  advice." 

"Pray  do." 

"You  won't  think  it  impertinent  on  the  part  of  a  mere 
stranger. " 

"Not  at  all.  I  shall  esteem  it  a  favour,  my  dear 
fellow,"  said  Jack. 

"Then  I  should  recommend  you  to  cut  the  girl's  ac- 


JA  CK  HARKAWAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 2  7 

quaintance  altogether.  If  you  don't  care  for  her,  you 
may  make  her  care  for  you." 

"  I  never  thought  of  that,"  said  Jack  ;  "  though  really 
I  am  not  to  blame  in  this  matter.  I  owe  the  Jew  money, 
and  so  I  kept  in  with  him  and  his  daughter,  because  I 
thought  he  would  be  more  likely  to  hold  over,  if  I  were 
civil  to  them.'"' 

"Ah  !  "  said  Franklin,  with  a  grave  shake  of  the  head, 
"it  is  an  awful  thing  for  a  young  man  to  owe  money. 
Poor  as  I  am,  and  wanting  money  to  buy  books  even,  I 
don't  think  I  would  accept  any  tin,  if  a  fellow  was  to  offer 
to  lend  it  me  without  interest." 

"Wouldn't  you  really  ?  "  said  Jack. 

"No  ;  I  have  seen  so  many  fellows,  since  I  have  been 
up  here,  ruined  by  getting  into  the  fast  set,  which  means 
getting  into  debt." 

"It  wasn't  my  fault  altogether.  It  was  a  gambling 
debt,  contracted  with  this  very  man,  Kemp,  and  I  didn't 
know  what  I  was  about  at  the  time." 

"  Kemp  and  men  like  him  are  a  disgrace  to  the  univer- 
sity," said  Franklin,  indignantly. 

"Just  give  me  the  letter  to  look  at,  will  you?"  said 
Jack. 

It  was  handed  to  him,  and  he  read  it  attentively. 

"The  object  of  this  is  to  make  Manasses  angry,  and 
induce  him  to  come  down  upon  me  for  the  bill,"  he  said. 

"Can  you  pay  the  money?" 

"  Impossible." 

"Would  your  failure  to  do  so  interfere  with  your 
chance  of  rowing  in  the  Oxford  eight  at  Putney  ?  "  asked 
Franklin. 

"I  really  don't  know.  How  does  the  law  stand?" 
replied  Jack. 

' '  I  think  I  can  tell  you,  for  I  have  been  coaching  up 
law  for  a  legal  exam,  lately." 

"  There  is  no  imprisonment  for  debt,"  said  Jack. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  there  is.  Has  the  Jew  got  a 
judgment  against  you  ?  " 

"  He  has  served  me  with  a  writ." 

"Then  he  has  his  judgment  if  you  did  not  defend  the 
action.  Well,  I  will  tell  you  what  he  will  do,  if  he  is 
inclined  to  be  nasty." 

"What?"  asked  Jack,  much  interested. 


!  28  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  He  will  summon  you  before  a  judge  in  chambers,  to 
show  cause  why  you  should  not  pay  the  money,  or,  in 
default,  be  committed  to  prison  for  six  weeks." 

"Can  he  do  that?" 

"Undoubtedly.  You  or  your  friends  are  in  a  position 
to  pay,  therefore  the  result  of  such  an  application  would 
be  your  committal." 

"That's  pleasant,"  said  Jack. 

"  If  you  were  put  in  prison,  it  would  spoil  your  train- 
ing ;  and  perhaps  prevent  you  from  rowing  at  all,  if  you 
were  arrested  and  locked  up  just  before  the  race." 

"  Do  you  think  that  is  Kemp's  plot  ? "  asked  Jack. 

"  He  said  you  should  not  row,  and  he's  trying  to  enrage 
the  Jew  against  you.  That's  how  the  case  stands." 

"  Thank  you  very  much  for  your  kindness  in  telling 
me  all  this,"  said  Jack. 

"I  wish  you  well  out  of  it,"  said  Franklin  ;  "and  now 
I  must  go  and  do  some  ancient  history.  I  am  a  poor 
man,  Mr.  Harkaway,  and  have  to  work  when  you  swells 
are  asleep  or  at  wine-parties." 

"I've  cut  the  wines  and  the  suppers,  now  I  am  in 
training,"  said  Jack;  "in  fact,  I  hate  them.  There  is 
something  awfully  unreal  about  all  that  dissipation." 

"You've  got  the  remedy  in  your  own  hands,  "remarked 
Franklin. 

"How?" 

"  You  needn't  go  to  them,  you  know,"  replied  Franklin 
with  a  smile,  rising  as  he  spoke. 

"  Sorry  you  must  go.  Some  night  I  shall  think  it  such 
a  privilege,  Mr.  Franklin,  if  I  might  co«ie  to  your  rooms 
and  read  a  little  with  you.  I  am  doing  the  '  Knights  of 
Aristophanes,'  now,  and  I  am  not  quite  clear  about  cer- 
tain passages." 

"You  will  find  me  a  queer,  solitary  sort  of  friend,  I 
am  afraid.  I  have  had  so  many  snubs  since  I  have  been 
up  here,  that  I  keep  myself  very  much  to  myself,  and  it 
was  a  hard  struggle  with  me  to  stop  you  to-night  in  the 
quad." 

"  But  may  I  come  ? "  asked  Jack,  rather  anxiously. 

"  If  you  will  take  your  chance  of  finding  me  in  a  good 
temper,  and  put  up  with  my  ways.  My  den  is  poor,  you 
might  call  it  poverty-stricken  ;  I  don't  want  to  shock 
your  fine  idea  of  what  rooms  ought  to  be,"  said  Franklin, 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 2  9 

looking  round  curiously  at  Jack's  sumptuously-furnished 
apartments. 

"I  shall  come,  and  take  my  chance  of  being  turned 
out,"  said  Jack,  smiling. 

Franklin  smiled  too,  and  wished  him  good-night. 

Jack  saw  him  to  the  door,  and  sat  down,  feeling  very 
miserable. 

Dark  clouds  were  blowing  up  once  more,  and  he  fell 
satisfied  that  there  was  danger  ahead. 

What  shape  the  peril  would  lake  he  could  scarcely  tell, 
but  he  was  uneasy  and  nervous. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

JACK    IS    ASKED    HIS    INTENTIONS. 

NOT  feeling  in  a  sleepy  humour,  Jack  determined  to  go 
up  to  Sir  Sydney  Dawson's  rooms. 

Sir  Sydney  generally  had  company. 

He  had  been  away  for  a  week,  and  only  returned  that 
afternoon. 

As  he  expected,  Jack  found  him  in,  with  three  or  four 
friends. 

"  How  do  ? "  said  Jack.     "  Got  back,  I  see." 

"That  is  a  self-evident  proposition,  "replied  Sir  Sydney. 
"  I  have  had  a  week  in  the  little  village  they  call  London." 

"It  don't  seem  to  have  done  you  any  good,  You're 
awfully  fishy  about  the  eyes." 

"When  a  man  hasn't  had  any  decent  sleep  for  six  or 
seven  days,  and  been  knocking  about  at  theatres  and 
other  cribs,  a  piscatorial  look  about  the  optics  is  the 
natural  result  Thanks  for  your  visit  all  the  same,  you 
old  croaker." 

"  I  wasn't  sure  you  would  be  in,  as  you  didn't  tuin  up 
in  hall." 

"I'd  no  appetite  for  roast  or  boiled,"  replied  Dawson, 
"so  I  went  over  to  the  'Mitre,'  and  got  a  broil." 

"Good  thing,  too,  when  there's  enough  of  it." 

"Now  you  are  here,  you  will  have  to  pay  the  penalty." 

"What's  that?  "  asked  Jack. 


I3o  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  We  were  just  thinking  about  brewing  a  bowl  of  bishop, 
and  having  a  hand  at  Van  John.  You'll  play  Van." 

"I  can't  stop  late.     I'm  in  training." 

"Hang  training  !  "  replied  Dawson. 

"  It  would  do  you  a  world  of  good,  old  man,  if  you  were 
to  pull  in  the  boat,''  said  Jack. 

"Not  if  I  know  it,  Harkaway,  my  innocent.  Catch  me 
living  on  a  quart  of  beer  a  day  and  pulling  my  twenty 
miles,  coming  back  sore  and  strained  and  awfully  baked. 
That's  not  this  child's  form  by  a  long  way. " 

"You're  a  sybarite." 

"Who's  he?" 

"  Get  your  classical  dictionary  and  turn  to  the  S's,  you 
ignorant  and  likewise  lazy  beggar." 

' '  How's  Billingsgate  ?  "  cried  Sir  Sydney.  ' '  Where  do 
you  expect  to  die  when  you  go  to  ?  I  mean — put  it  t'other 
way,  and  then  you'll  know  what  I  do  mean.  It's  too 
much  trouble  to  explain." 

Jack  laughed. 

"Don't  stand  there  grinning,"  continued  Sir  Sydney. 
"You  remind  me  of  nothing  so  much  as  a  donkey  struck 
by  lightning.  Get  the  cards  out. " 

Jack  looked  round  and  saw  that  among  Dawson's  guests 
was  the  Duke  of  Woodstock. 

"  How  do?  "  he  exclaimed,  as  he  passed  him  to  get  the 
card-box  from  a  side  table. 

"Quite  well — aw — thanks,"  replied  the  duke.  "Been 
widing — aw — any  maw  steeple-chases,  Mr.  Harkaway?" 

"  Not  lately,"  replied  Jack.  "It's  not  exactly  my  line. 
I'm  more  at  home  on  the  water." 

"Aw — wataw — don't  know  much  about  wataw,  except 
in  conjunction  with  something  else — aw — say  alcohol." 

"  Good  word  that,"  remarked  Dawson. 

"Yaas;  flattaw  myself  alcohol  is — aw — a  big  word," 
replied  the  duke. 

"  Tell  you  what,"  said  Jack,  "I  should  like  to  handi- 
cap you  and  Woodstock  for  a  mile  race.  I  don't  think 
either  of  you  would  run  the  distance  under  an  hour." 

"Hark  at  the  muscular  Christian,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 
"We,  my  dear  boy,  do  not  think  athletics  the  highest 
point  worthy  of  a  man's  ambition." 

"  No, "  replied  Jack,  "drinking,  smoking,  or  something 
worse  is  your  form. " 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 3 1 

"I  say,"  cried  Sir  Sydney,  "where  are  you  getting  to ? 
We  shall  have  to  sit  on  you  and  let  off  some  of  that 
steam." 

The  cards  were  produced,  and  Jack  limited  himself  to 
one  hour. 

He  won  a  few  pounds  and  got  up. 

"  Look  at  the  rat,"  said  Sir  Sydney  ;  "he's  made  a  couple 
of  boxes  of  weeds  out  of  us,  and  now  he's  going  to 
slope." 

"  Mean  beggar,"  remarked  the  duke. 

"I  told  you  I  should  only  play  one  hour,"  replied 
Jack. 

"Be  off  with  the  swag.  Take  your  booty.  What  is 
filthy  lucre  to  us?  Vanish  into  the  night,"  replied  Sir 
Sydney. 

Jack  strode  off  and  was  soon  in  bed,  but  it  was  daylight 
before  the  roysterers  sought  the  sheets,  with  bleared  eyes 
and  confused  ideas  of  things  in  general. 

Christmas  approached,  and  the  vacation  commenced. 

Jack  went  home  without  hearing  anything  from  Moses 
Manasses. 

He  did  not  call  upon  the  Jew,  on  the  principle  that  it 
was  best  to  let  a  sleeping  dog  lie  still. 

His  first  term  at  Oxford  had,  on  the  whole,  been  very 
pleasant. 

The  winter  was  a  mild  one. 

There  was  no  skating,  and  he  spent  his  time  in  driving 
or  walking  with  Emily  or  in  shooting  with  Harvey  and 
his  father. 

When  term  commenced  again  he  went  back  to  Oxford, 
more  than  ever  in  love  with  Emily,  who  was  no  longer 
jealous  of  Hilda. 

Emily  had  heard  all  about  the  bill  transaction  from  him, 
and  promised  to  say  nothing  about  it,  though  she  advised 
him  to  tell  Mr.  Bedington. 

This  he  would  not  listen  to. 

He  thought  he  should  get  out  of  the  scrape  somehow, 
and  the  amount  was  so  large  that  he  was  afraid  of  making 
a  clean  breast  of  it. 

As  the  weather  was  so  mild,  boating  went  on  without 
interruption. 

Jack's  magnificent  rowing  obtained  him  great  praise 
from  everybody. 


132  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

It  was  said  that  there  was  not  a  finer  oar  in  the  'varsity 
eight  than  he.  - 

The  Cambridge  crew,  from  all  reports,  was  an  un- 
usually good  one. 

Therefore,  it  was  more  than  ever  necessary  that  Oxford 
should  put  her  best  men  in  the  boat. 

Jack  had  not  been  up  more  than  a  fortnight,  when  he 
one  day  received  a  visit  from  Mr.  Moses  Manasses. 

He  was  a  little  embarrassed  when  he  saw  the  Jew,  but, 
putting  a  good  face  on  it,  he  begged  him  to  be  seated, 
and  said  he  was  glad  to  see  him. 

"You  have  not  called  on  us  lately,  Mr.  Harkaway," 
said  the  Jew. 

"Well,  no, "  replied  Jack.  "You  see,  I  have  been  so 
busy. " 

"I  presume  your  intentions  to  my  daughter  are  the 
same  ?  S'help  me,  Mr.  Harkaway,  the  girl  is  very  fond 
of  you,"  continued  Moses. 

"  I'm  sorry  for  that,"  Jack  answered,  boldly,  "because 
I  am  engaged  already." 

"  Ha  !  "  said  the  Jew.      "To  whom  ?  " 

"An  orphan,  without  any  money;  there  is  disinter- 
estedness for  you." 

"  But  Hilda  will  be  rich.  I  can  give  her  fifty — a  hun- 
dred— two  hundred  thousand  pounds,"  cried  the  Jew. 

Jack  thought  money-lending  at  Oxford  must  be  a  profit- 
able business. 

"He'll  be  a  lucky  man  who  gets  her,"  he  observed. 

"Why  should  you  not  be  the  one  ?  " 

"Simply  because  I'm  bottled  up  already." 

"And  you  tell  me,  sir,  that  you  never  meant  to  marry 
my  daughter?"  screamed  the  Jew. 

"  Never." 

"Why  did  you  turn  over  her  music  while  she  sang 
to  you  ? — why  walk  out  with  her  ? — why  come  to  my 
house  ? " 

"  I  did  not  mean  any  harm." 

"You  call  yourself  a  shentleman?  "  exclaimed  the  Jew, 
growing  more  and  more  excited.  "  Why,  I  could  make  a 
better  shentlemans  out  of  a  turnip.  You  are  no  shentle- 
man ;  you  are  a  villain,  Mr.  Harkaway  !  " 

Jack  coloured  up. 

"  I  tell  you  so  to  your  face.     Why  should  you   try  to 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  \  53 

dishonour  me  and  break  a  poor  girl's  heart  ?  Answer  me 
that,"  continued  the  Jew. 

"  I  don't  think  I  deserve  this  language,  Mr.  Manasses," 
exclaimed  Jack. 

"Yes,  you  do.  Have  you  not  behaved  like  a  paltry 
humbug  ? — after  my  kindness  too  !  Why  should  a  Chris- 
tian bring  dishonour  on  a  Jew  ?  Is  not  the  Jewish  maiden 
fair  and  virtuous  ?  Did  she " 

"  I  cannot  allow  you  to  talk  to  me  like  this,"  exclaimed 
jack,  getting  angry,  and  walking  about  the  rooms  with 
his  hands  in  his  pockets. 

"  Have  I  said  too  much  ?  " 

"A  deuced  sight  too  much ;  more  than  I  mean  to  stand 
anyhow,  and  I  will  thank  you  to  leave  my  rooms,  and  not 
come  into  them  again  until  you  know  how  to  behave 
yourself." 

"  Will  you  give  me  my  monish  !  "  asked  Manasses. 

"You  know  very  well  I  can't  because  I  haven't  got 
it" 

"The  law  will  give  it  me,  or  punish  you,"  said  Ma- 


"  Go  to  law  then  ;  I  don't  care,"  replied  Jack,  desper- 
ately. "Only  get  out  of  my  sight,  that's  all." 

"  But  my  girl — what  shall  1  say  to  Hilda  ?  " 

"  How  can  I  tell  you  what  to  say?  I  have  never  led 
her  to  believe  that  I  loved  her." 

' '  Did  you  not  give  her  this  present,  and  this,  and  this  ? " 
asked  Manasses,  drawing  from  his  capacious  pocket  a 
bracelet,  a  ring,  and  an  ivory-handled  fan. 

' '  Yes  ;  I  admit  I  made  her  presents  thoughtlessly.  You 
were  very  kind  to  me." 

"  Is  that  all  you  have  to  say  ? " 

"That  is  all,"  answered  Jack. 

' '  Father  Abraham  !  "  exclaimed  the  Jew,  holding  up  his 
hands.  "  I  lend  my  money;  I  do  not  press  him;  he 
creeps  into  my  house  like  a  viper,  and  he  stings  me 
through  my  daughter." 

"Tell  Miss  Manasses  that  I  am  very  sorry  she  should 
have  run  away  with  any  mistaken  ideas  about  my  inten- 
tions. I  always  regarded  her  as  a  mend.  That  is  all. " 

•' All !  "  repeated  the  Jew.  "  Holy  Moses  !  this  is  the 
honour  of  an  Oxford  shentleman  !  " 

"Look  here,"  said  Jack,    "you're  extremely  insulting 


134  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

and  troublesome.  Get  out  of  my  place.  I  tell  you  I 
have  done  nothing  wrong  ;  be  off." 

"I  could  ruin  him,"  said  the  Jew,  as  if  talking  to  him- 
self. 

"I  can't  help  that." 

"I  could  make  him  a  brankrupt,  or  put  him  in  prison, 
and  his  friends  would  send  him  abroad.  His  future  is  in 
my  hands." 

"I'll  pay  you  some  day,  you  old  vampiring  vulture," 
cried  Jack,  whose  patience  was  nearly  exhausted. 

"  Ah  !  he  might  have  my  cherished  one,  my  ewe  lamb, 
the  flower  of  the  flock,  and  be  rich  and  respected,  and  get 
into  parliament,  and  have  his  castle  and  yacht,  and  live 
like  a  real  shentleman.  Ah  I  if  he  would  arise  like  Barak, 
that  son  of  Abinoam  ! " 

"I  say,  cut  it,"  replied  Jack,  who  was  getting  tired  of 
it.  "I'm  very  sorry  for  the  young  lady,  but  it  isn't  my 
fault." 

The  Jew  rose,  and  walked  shakily,  with  the  aid  ot  his 
stick,  to  the  door. 

"I'll  have  my  monies,"  he  muttered.  "  It  is  my  right. 
The  law  will  give  me  my  gold." 

Jack  was  very  miserable,  and  came  to  the  conclusion 
he  was  in  a  mess  it  would  be  difficult  to  get  out  of. 

Once  he  was  very  nearly  writing  to  his  father,  and 
confessing  everything,  but  he  clung  to  a  hope  that  he 
might  extricate  himself. 

While  he  was  sitting  perplexed  and  worried,  Sir  Sydney 
Dawson  and  the  Duke  of  Woodstock  came  in. 

"Ah  !  my  noble  swells,"  he  exclaimed,  trying  to  be 
cheerful.  "  What  does  this  visit  portend  ?  " 

"Give  us  to  drink,  and  we  will  unfold  the  plan  of  our 
conspiracy,"  replied  Sir  Sidney,  striking  a  theatrical  atti- 
tude. 

Jack  touched  a  hand-bell  to  summon  Monday,  who  was 
generally  in  waiting  in  another  room. 

"  What  ho  !  within  there,  slave  !  "  cried  Sir  Sydney. 

Monday  made  his  appearance,  grinning. 

"Bring  out  the  glorious  vintage  of  champagne,  and 
forget  not  the  glasses." 

Presently  two  bottles  of  Moet's  No.  i  were  placed  on 
the  table,  the  corks  popped,  and  the  wine  bubbled  up  in 
the  tumblers. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  135 

'•Das  ist  gut  as  my  friend  Bismarck  would  observe," 
said  Sir  Sydney  Dawson,  emptying  his  glass. 

"Perhaps  you  will  be  good  enough  to  translate  your 
German,"  replied  Jack. 

"Das — this;  ist — is;  gut — good.  Read,  mark,  learn, 
and  inwardly  digest.  We  have  got  a  bet  on,  Harkaway, 
and  you  must  be  the  umpire." 

"What  is  it?" 

"  Let  Woodstock  tell  you  ;  he  started  the  idea." 

"  Now,  my  lord  duke,  I'm  all  attention,"  said  Jack. 

"Fact  is — aw — I  had  an  ideaw,"  replied  the  duke. 

"That  is  an  event  of  such  very  rare  occurrence,  that 
his  grace  will  be  obliged  if  you  will  make  a  note  of  it,  Hark- 
away,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney,  laughing. 

"Don't  intawupt  me,"  said  Woodstock.  "Fact  is,  Mr. 
Harkaway,  we  saw  two  organs  playing  in  the  High. 
Two  of  those — aw — infernal  bawal  organ  things." 

"Yes." 

"Waal,  we  sent  a  scout  for  them,  and  they  are  at  pwesent 
gorging  themselves  in  my  woom — aw." 

"  What,  the  organs  ?  "  said  Jack. 

"No,  the  men  ;  what  I  mean  is,  the  pwopwietors,  and 
we  have — aw — hired  the  organs. " 

"What  for?" 

"Aw — that  is  the  ideaw.  Yaas,  I  flattaw  myself  the 
ideaw  is  to  land  the  organs." 

"But  what  are  you  going  to  do  with  them?  "asked 
Jack. 

"  It's  a  bet,  you  know.  Dawson  is  to  take  one  organ 
— aw — and  I  am  to  have  the  othaw.  Twig  ?  " 

"Not  quite." 

"Aw — some  people  vewy  dense,  but  I  will  explain. 
Dawson  is  to  start  playing — aw — from  the  Martyr's  Me- 
morial, and  I  start  from  the  High  Stweet.  See?  " 

"No.     I'm  rather  in  a  fog  still." 

"  Deaw  me,"  exclaimed  his  grace.  "It's  as  cleaw  as 
a  glass  of  bittaw  beaw." 

"I'll  tell  you  all  about  it,"  cried  Dawson.  "I've  bet 
that  I  will  play  in  the  Corn  Market  for  an  hour  on  one 
organ,  and  Woodstock  is  going  to  play  on  the  other,  and 
I  back  myself  to  get  more  halfpence  than  he  does." 

"Yaas,  that's  the  bet,  who  gets  the  most  coppaws," 
drawled  the  duke." 


X36  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  What  a  lark,"  said  Jack.    ' '  I  should  like  to  be  in  that." 

"Are  you  in  the  humour  for  a  spree  ?  "  asked  Sir  Sydney. 

"Rather;  I'm  game  for  anything  to-day — from  pitch- 
and-toss  to  manslaughter.  I've  been  most  awfully  upset. " 

"Look  here,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney,  seeing  Jack's 
monkey  on  the  back  of  a  chair.  "Take  the  bishop  on 
your  arm,  dress  him  in  an  old  cap  and  gown,  and  put  a 
placard  on  his  nut,  saying  he  is  the  illegitimate  son  of  the 
Dean  of  St.  Aldate's,  and  being  in  distress,  would  gladly 
receive  the  contributions  of  the  charitable." 

"That  would  be  going  too  far,  wouldn't  it?  Suppose  I 
say  he  is  the  only  son  of  the  Emperor  of  Peru  ?  " 

Dawson  took  a  pen  and  a  piece  of  paper,  on  which  he 
wrote — 

"Out  of  work.  I  am  the  nearest  relation  of  the  Dean 
of  St.  Aldate's.  Any  trifle  will  be  thankfully  received 
and  acknowledged  in  the  newspapers.  The  highest 
testimonials  from  Mr.  Darwin  and  others  can  be  seen  at 
Ujiji.  This  is  a  case  highly  recommended  by  Dr.  Living- 
stone. Out  of  work.  Bestow  a  trifle  on  a  poor  monkey, 
who,  after  all,  is  a  man  and  a  brother.  Owing  to  the  strikes 
and  the  high  price  of  coal,  I  am  starving.  Please  part  a 
penny,  kind  Christian  friends." 

"There  !  "  he  exclaimed,  reading  the  effusion  ;  "  and  if 
that  don't  draw  the  coin,  I'm  mistaken." 


"What's  your  bet  ?  "  asked  Jack. 
"A  fiver." 


"Well,  I'll  bet  a  fiver  that  I,  with  the  monkey,  take 
more  than  either  of  you  in  the  Corn  Market  in  one  hour." 

"  Done,"  cried  Sir  Sydney  and  the  duke  in  a  breath. 

"As  for  me — aw,"  said  the  duke,  "it  will  be  some 
coppaws  or  a  policeman  in  no  time,  for  I  mean  to — aw — 
sing  '  Annie  Laurie  '  to  the — aw — inspiriting  tunes  of  my 
organ." 

"  Mine's  a  regular  ear-cracker,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney. 
"I'm  safe  to  cop  largely." 

"  How  about  the  togs  ?"  asked  Jack. 

"Oh,  Buster  has  gone  to  get  some  old  clothes  and  caps 
of  his. " 

"  I  see.  That  will  do.  Suppose  I  take  Monday  with 
me,  half-naked  and  barefoot,  and  say  he's  the  King  of  the 
Cannibal  Islands." 

"No,   that  won't  be  fair,"   replied  Sir  Sydney;  "the 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  137 

black  would  be  sure  to  draw.  You've  got  the  monk', 
that's  enough. " 

"  Naw,"  said  the  duke  gravely,  "  niggaws  aren't  fair. 
Don't  mind  monkeys,  but  must  draw  the  line  at — aw — 
niggaws." 

Taking  the  monkey  in  his  arms,  Jack  put  an  old  cap  on 
him,  and  a  gown  which  he  cut  short. 

Then  the  three  men,  flushed  with  wine,  went  to  Daw- 
son's  rooms,  where  Buster  was  waiting  with  the  old 
clothes. 

"Haven't  those  fellows  done  eating  ?"  asked  Sir  Syd- 
ney, pointing  to  the  Italians. 

' '  No,  sir, "  replied  Buster ;  ' '  they've  been  at  it  this  hour, 
and  they  ain't  done  yet.  I  should  back  the  little  one,  sir." 

"To  eat  the  most?" 

"Yes,  sir;  he's  only  a  chicken  and  two  cutlets  behind 
the  tall  one,  and  he's  coming  up  fast." 

"  Let  them  alone  and  help  us  to  put  on  the  duds,"  said 
Sir  Sydney. 

They  were  quickly  attired  in  dilapidated  garments, 
which  effectually  disguised  them. 

"  Are  you  ready  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"Yaas,"  replied  the  duke.  "Heaw,  give  me — aw — a 
crooked  pin  to  hold  up  my  ragged  breeches." 

"  How  do  I  look  ?  "  said  Sir  Sydney,  surveying  himself 
in  the  glass. 

"  Whitechapel  all  over,  sir,"  answered  Buster,  with  a 
grin. 

"  And  I  ?"  asked  the  duke. 

"  Reg'lar  chickaleary  cove,  your  grace." 

"Where  are  the  instruments  of  torture?  " 

"Organs,  sir?  "  .   ' 

"Yes!" 

"Mr,   Clinker's  minding  them  outside  the  gate,  sir." 

"Come  on,  all  of  you.  Mind  the  monkey,  Harkaway. 
It's  now  four  by  my  watch ;  at  five  sharp  we  meet  here 
again,"  said  Dawson. 

"In  your  rooms? " 

"Yes,  here." 

"All  right.     Cut  along,"  exclaimed  Jack. 

The  three  young  men  stole  through  the  quad,  looking 
like  beggars,  and  reached  the  street  without  attracting 
special  notice,  as  the  porter  was  in  the  secret. 


138  JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFOK  D. 

"If  they  don't  get  locked  up,  it's  a  mussy,"  muttered 
Buster.  "They're  on  for  a  spree  this  time,  and  I  know 
how  sprees  husually  hend." 

His  eye  fell  upon  the  Italians. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

MR.  MOLE  MAKES  A  STRANGE  PURCHASE. 

THE  Italians  were  still  silently  eating  and  having 
polished  off  the  poultry  and  such  like  trifles,  they  were 
beginning  to  attack  a  sirloin  of  beef. 

"Lor',"  observed  Buster,  "  it's  a  caution  to  see  them 
men  eat.  Perfect  gorgers,  hi  call  them,  and  no  flies.  I 
hope  they  won't  bust  up  or  have  a  fit." 

Sir  Sydney  wiped  his  face  with  the  sleeve  of  his  coat, 
which  was  not  too  clean,  and  the  others  followed  his  ex- 
ample, to  make  their  faces  dirty. 

Then  he  slung  the  organ  over  his  back  by  the  strap,  the 
Duke  of  Woodstock  doing  the  same. 

"  Wish  you  luck,  gentlemen,"  said  Clinker,  with  a  broad 
grin. 

"Be  here  in  an  hour  to  take  the  organs." 

"  Take  the  orgins?     Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  scout. 

"They  started  up  St.  Aldate's  Street  for  the  High,  Jack 
following  with  the  grotesquely-dressed  monkey,  who  had 
the  placard  pinned  on  his  academical  cap. 

"Oh,  my!"  said  the  scout  to  himself,  "they'll  wake 
'em  up  before  they've  done,  or  I'll  eat  my  hat,  and  my 
hat  ain't  a  rump-steak  by  no  manner  of  means." 

It  was  not  long  before  the  strains  of  the  rival  organs 
were  heard  in  different  directions. 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson  enlivened  the  neighbourhood  of  St. 
John's,  while  the  Duke  of  Woodstock  made  melody  near 
St.  Mary's  Church. 

As  for  Jack,  he  went  with  his  monkey  on  his  arm  in 
front  of  the  "Clarendon  Hotel,"  and,  standing  still, 
waited  for  the  crowd  to  assemble. 

This  the  Oxonians  were  not  long  in  doing,  for  the  aca- 
demic costume  of  the  ape  was  enough  to  provoke  mirth 
in  the  most  melancholy. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  \  39 

Holding  out  his  hand,  Jack  said,  in  a  whining  voice — 

"Give,  please  ;  give  to povro  Italiano,  signer.  Please 
one  penny  give." 

In  a  short  time  he  collected  nearly  two  shillings,  and 
began  to  think  he  was  doing  a  roaring  trade. 

"  I  shall  lick  those  other  fellows  into  fits,"  he  muttered. 
"This  monkey  dodge  isn't  half  a  bad  game.  I  shall 
know  what  to  do  if  I  ever  get  hard  up." 

Some  gentlemen  had  been  dining  at  the  hotel,  and  look- 
ing out  of  the  window,  they  threw  some  coppers  to  the 
monkey,  who  picked  them  up  and  gave  them  to  his 
master. 

To  Jack's  astonishment,  the  gentlemen  were  friends 
of  his. 

One  was  Mr.  Mole,  the  other  Tom  Garden,  and  the 
third  Harvey. 

The  two  latter  had  been  reading  at  Mr.  Mole's  house, 
and  had  been  invited  by  the  tutor  to  have  a  little  dinner 
at  the  "Clarendon." 

"Dear  me,"  said  Mr.  Mole,  who  had  been  drinking 
some  very  fine  old  '47  port,  "  that  monkey  bears  a  most 
striking  resemblance  to  an  ape  belonging  to  Harkaway." 

"  Own  brother  to  the  Bishop,  I'll  swear,"  said  Garden. 

"  Do  you  think,"  said  Mr  Mole,  "  that  the  Italian  boy 
will  bring  him  in  here  ?  We  will  see  what  tricks  he  can  do." 

"Let's  put  him  through  his  paces.  Shall  I  call  his 
keeper,  sir  ?  "  asked  Harvey. 

"Do,"  replied  Mr.  Mole.  "If  he  is  a  clever  monkey, 
I  will  buy  him. " 

"  Here,  you  fellow!"  exclaimed  Harvey,  "come  in 
here.  Waiter,  bring  that  man  in  here ;  we  want  to  see 
his  animal  perform. " 

"Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  waiter. 

"You  fellah,  come  in  ;  you're  wanted,"  said  the  waiter. 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson  came  up  with  his  organ  at  that 
moment,  and  began  to  play  "Champagne  Charlie." 

"By  Jove  1"  exclaimed  Harvey,  "there  is  another 
foreign  cove.  The  place  swarms  with  them  to-day. " 

Jack  gave  Sir  Sydney  a  wink,  and  followed  the  waiter 
into  the  coffee-room. 

He  was  so  well  disguised  that  no  one  recognized  him  or 
took  him  for  anything  else  than  he  pretended  to  be. 

"Can  you  talk  English  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Mole. 


1 40  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD, 

"Si,  signer,"  replied  Jack. 

"That  isn't  English.  Say  something  one  can  under- 
stand." 

"You  give  glass  of  champagne  to  poor  Savoyard," 

The  gentlemen  laughed. 

"That's  straight  enough,"  remarked  Garden,  who 
poured  out  the  wine  and  handed  it  to  Jack. 

' '  So  you  come  from  Savoy  ? "  continued  Mr.  Mole. 
"  Where  does  your  monkey  hail  from  ?  " 

"He  come  from  the  Malay  Archipelago.  He  a  Pisang 
monkey,"  said  Jack,  boldly. 

"Well,  that's  very  odd.  I've  been  in  those  latitudes," 
replied  Mr.  Mole.  "Perhaps  you  will  tell  me  that  your 
ape  speaks  English  next." 

"  He  very  good  talking  monkey,  signer.  He  speaks 
one,  t\vo,  three  language." 

"The  duece  he  does  !     What  are  they  ?  " 

"English,  one;  Dutch,  two;  Chinese,  three,"  replied 
Jack,  counting  his  fingers. 

"  He's  a  very  intelligent  monkey  if  that's  true,  "remarked 
Mole,  thinking  he  was  being  made  fun  of. 

' '  Do  you  mean  to  say  he  can  talk  ? "  asked  Tom  Garden. 

"Yes,  signer." 

"That  be  hanged  for  a  yarn,"  answered  Tom. 

"Gently,  Garden,"  replied  Mr.  Mole.  "This  is  ex- 
tremely interesting.  Perhaps  the  creature  is  the  missing 
link  between  the  man  and  the  monkey,  of  which  natu- 
ralists and  scientific  people  have  so  long  been  talking. 
Is  it  possible? " 

"  It's  possible — everything  is  possible,  but  not  likely," 
answered  Tom. 

"If  this  fellow  is  imposing  upon  us,  we  will  give  him 
in  charge  of  the  police.  Now,  look  here,  my  lad,  ask  the 
creature  if  he  ever  saw  me  in  Pisang." 

Jack  whispered  to  the  monkey,  who  chattered  to  him 
in  return. 

' '  Si,  signer,  he  knows  you  very  well, "  replied  Jack. 

"  What  does  he  say  ?  " 

"  You  speak  to  him,  signer  ;  he  soon  answer  you." 

"Put  him  on  the  table,"  replied  Mr.  Mole  with  a  smile. 
"We  will  have  none  of  your  tricks." 

Jack  placed  the  ape  on  the  table,  and  gave  him  orders 
in  a  sharp  tone  to  sit  still. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 4 1 

Then  he  retired  to  the  doorway,  which  was  some 
(i'stance  off. 

The  waiters  kept  their  eyes  upon  Jack,  and  on  the 
spoons  at  the  same  time. 

"Now,  sir,  attention,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Mole,  addressing 
the  monkey.  "What  has  become  of  the  lost  tribes  of 
Israel ?  " 

In  a  somewhat  cracked  but  distinct  voice  the  monkey 
appeared  to  say — 

"Gone  up  the  Baltic  in  a  penny  boat." 

Mr.  Mole  started  and  turned  pale. 

Tom  Garden  rubbed  his  eyes,  and  the  waiters  regarded 
one  another  with  astonishment. 

Only  Harvey  did  not  appear  lost  in  amazement. 

He  sidled  up  to  the  poor  Italian  boy,  and  whispered — 

"Jack." 

"Shut  up,  Dick,"  returned  Jack,  in  the  same  low  tone, 
"oryou'll  spoil  the  barney." 

Harvey  sidled  away  again,  and  Mr.  Mole  having  re- 
covered from  his  surprise,  looked  carefully  at  the  monkey. 

" Ahem  !"  he  said,  clearing  his  throat,  "you  seem  to 
have  hazy  notions  of  history.  Perhaps,  sir,  we  shall  find 
you  more  at  home  in,  say  geography.  In  what  part  of  the 
world  do  you  find  the  greatest  cold  ?  " 

"In  a  penny  ice  shop  up  the  Commercial  Road,"  an- 
swered the  monkey. 

"You  are  badly  educated,  "exclaimed  Mr.  Mole.  "Now 
tell  me,  if  you  please,  where  you  saw  me  last  in  Pisang?" 

"Saw  you  last  in  Limbi." 

"Indeed;  under  what  circumstances,  may'  I  ask?" 
said  Mole,  adjusting  his  spectacles. 

"  You  had  two  wives  in  Limbi,  Ambonia  and  Alfura. 
Ambonia  beat  you  with  a  flat-iron,  and  then  threw  the 
baby  into  the  fire,  and  sat  on  it." 

Mr.  Mole  shivered  from  head  to  foot,  and  said  invol- 
untarily— 

"  No.  It  was  a  bamboo  with  which  she  attacked  me. 
I  remember  it  well,  and  the  babies  were  not  then  born. 
There  is  a  strange  mixture  of  truth  and  falsehood  in  this, 
but  it  is  very  remarkable." 

Tom  Garden  was  equally  puzzled. 

He  had  never  heard  a  monkey  speak  before,  and  he 
agreed  that  it  was  most  extraordinary. 


I42  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  I  think  we  ought  to  admit  him  to  the  university,  and 
give  him  the  benefit  of  an  open  scholarship,"  he  said. 

"  Don't  the  brute  look  comical  in  his  cap  and  gown  ?  " 
exclaimed  Harvey,  laughing. 

He  wanted  an  excuse  to  get  rid  of  some  of  the  suppressed 
merriment  with  which  he  was  bursting. 

' '  I'm  not  half  such  a  brute  as  you  are, "  retorted  the  mon- 
key ;  "  and  if  you  say  much  more  to  me,  Dick  Harvey, 
I'll  have  you  out  and  put  you  in  the  horse-trough." 

Harvey  had  to  stuff  his  pocket-handkerchief  into  his 
mouth  to  stop  his  laughter. 

"  Dear  me,"  replied  Mr.  Mole,  "  what  a  savage,  un- 
educated beast  it  is." 

"  Tell  you  what,  Isaac  Mole,"  cried  the  monkey, 
loudly,  "  I  didn't  marry  two  wives  and  desert  them  in  a 
foreign  land,  each  with  a  young  baby." 

"  He  seems  to  know  all  about  you,  sir,"  exclaimed 
Garden,  grinning. 

"  It's  a.  lying,  rascally,  beastly  thing,  and  I've  a  good 
mind  to  hit  it,"  replied  Mole,  furiously. 

"  Yes,  you  do,"  said  the  monkey,  "  and  I'll  give  you 
something  hot,  just  to  remind  you  of  old  times." 

Mr.  Mole  made  a  threatening  gesture  at  the  ape,  who, 
seizing  a  roll  of  bread,  jumped  to  the  mantelpiece,  and 
sprang  up  to  the  top  of  the  chimney-glass,  where  he  sat 
glaring  at  Mole. 

With  some  dexterity  he  threw  the  roll  at  his  enemy, 
and  knocked  out  a  favourite  false  tooth,  much  to  Mole's 
disgust 

"  Dear  me.  Bless  that  monkey,"  he  stuttered,  "  he 
has  done  me  an  injury." 

"  Wait  till  your  precious  babes  come  over  from  Limbi," 
replied  the  monkey. 

"  My  babes?"  repeated  Mr.  Mole. 

"  Yes,  yours.  They're  on  the  way.  Won't  you  go  on 
the  booze  for  a  month  ?" 

Everybody  laughed  at  Mr.  Mole,  who  grew  more  and 
more  angry. 

"  Talk  about  something  else,"  he  said,  dissembling  his 
rage,  "  and  I  will  give  you  a  half-crown.  Now  tell  me, 
why  is  the  world  made  round  ?  " 

"  Because  lazy  beggars  like  you  shouldn't  sleep  in  the 
corners,"  answered  the  monkey. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 43 

Harvey  roared  at  this  reply,  and  said — 

' '  That  is  as  good  a  sell  as  I  have  heard  for  a  long 
time. " 

"  The  creature's  no  fool,"  observed  Tom  Garden. 

"  You're  nothing  wonderful,"  replied  the  monkey. 
"  All  you're  good'  for  is  rowing  hard  in  a  boat.  It's  a 
pity  you  weren't  born  a  day-labourer  instead  of  a  gentle- 
man." 

' '  Sorry  I  spoke.  What  have  I  done  to  offend  him  ?  " 
said  Garden. 

"  He's  giving  it  us  all  round,"  replied  Harvey. 

"  Come  here,  my  boy,"  said  Mr.  Mole  to  Jack,  who 
approached. 

"  Yes,  aignor,"  he  said  ;  "  are  you  satisfied?  " 

"  Quite  so.     Will  you  sell  your  monkey  ?  " 

"  Me  sell  for  ten  pound,  English  money,  and  then 
me  go  back  to  my  contree  ;  to  the  beautiful  hills  and 
valleys  of  my  beautiful  Savoy.  Ah  !  I  do  love  my  con- 
tree.  Savoy  is  my  native  contree.  Yaas,  I  do  love  it  so." 

He  turned  his  eyes  up,  and  put  his  hands  together  in 
an  affecting  manner. 

"  Poor  boy  ;  he's  homesick,"  said  Mr.   Mole. 

"  Give  poor  Savoyard  money." 

"  Catch  the  monkey  first.  Put  a  rope  or  a  chain  round 
him  first." 

Jack  called  the  monkey,  and  put  a  piece  of  string 
round  its  neck,  which  he  placed  in  Mr.  Mole's  hand. 

"  There,  signer;  now  he  your  property,  and  I  go  back 
to  Savoy,"  said  Jack. 

Mr.  Mole  counted  out  ten  sovereigns,  and  with  a  low 
bow  Jack  departed  as  quickly  as  he  could. 

"  Now,"  said  Mr.  Mole,  regarding  his  newly-acquired 
treasure  with  delight,  "  I  will  repair  to  my  house  and 
give  a  grand  party,  to  which  I  will  invite  all  the  heads  of 
houses  and  the  distinguished  men  in  the  university  to  see 
my  talking  monkey." 

"  You  will  be  the  envy  of  Europe,  sir,''  said  Harvey. 

"  Yes,"  remarked  Garden,  "  and  of  Asia,  Africa,  and 
America,  too." 

"  He'll  tell  you  all  about  your  wives,  sir,  and  the 
blessed  babies,"  said  Harvey. 

"  The  less  said  about  them  the  better,"  replied  Mr. 
Mole,  adding — 


144  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  What  say  you,  my  hairy  friend  ? " 

To  his  surprise,  the  monkey  made  no  answer. 

"  He's  sulky.  I've  offended  him,"  remarked  Mr.  Mole. 
"  Help  me  home  with  him,  Harvey,  will  you?" 

"  Excuse  me  ;  I  must  get  back  to  college.  Garden  will 
go,"  replied  Harvey. 

"Oh,  with  pleasure,"  answered  Garden.  "Just  foot 
up  the  bill,  and  we'll  start." 

Mr.  Mole  paid  the  bill,  and  left  the  hotel,  carrying  the 
monkey  on  his  arm. 

"  Ah  !  "  said  he  to  Garden,  "  this  is  in  indeed  a  happy 
day  for  me.  What  a  priceless  treasure  have  I  not  acquired.  " 

He  continued  to  talk  in  the  most  rapturous  style  until 
he  reached  his  house,  into  which  he  carried  the  monkey 
as  tenderly  as  if  it  had  been  an  infant. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

MUSIC    IN   THE   CORN    MARKET. 

WHEN  Jack  quitted  the  hotel,  he  saw  the  Duke  of 
Woodstock  grinding  away  at  his  organ  a  few  doors  lower 
down. 

An  irate  tobacconist,  who  did  not  like  organs,  was 
telling  him  to  move  on. 

A  sympathising  crowd,  as  is  usual  in  such  cases,  took 
the  part  of  the  organ-man. 

' '  Go  away  !  "  said  the  tabacconist,  whose  name  was 
Brown. 

The  duke  turned  the  handle  faster. 

Coming  on  to  the  pavement,  Brown  said — 

"  I  tell  you  I  won't  have  it." 

"  I'm  deaf.  You  must  speak  out  louder,"  answered 
the  duke. 

"  Take  your  hook  !  "  thundered  the  tradesman. 

"  Come  inside  ? — all  right.     What  will  you  give  me?  " 

As  he  spoke  the  duke  moved  towards  the  shop. 

"  You  do  play  inside  my  shop,  that's  all,  and  I'll  soon 
have  a  bobby  !  "  cried  Brown. 

"  What  do  you  want?  Is  it  'Sally  come  up?'  asked 
the  duke. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 45 

"  I'll  'Sally  '  you.  Go  back  to  your  own  country.  Oh  ! 
here's  a  policeman.  Constable,  take  this  man  into  custody. " 

The  policeman  laid  his  hand  upon  the  duke's  arm. 

"  Come  along  of  me,"  he  said  ;  "  you're  charged." 

Jack  had  all  this  time  been  going  round  amongst  the 
crowd,  with  his  old  cap  in  his  hand,  collecting  coppers, 
which  flowed  in  freely. 

The  duke  perceived  this,  and  exclaimed — 

"  I  say,  that's  not  fair.  Look  at  him  collaring  the  half- 
pence !  He's  got  all  the  chips  !  " 

"  I  thought  you  were  a  foreigner, "said Brown,  triumph- 
antly. "  Why,  you  know  English  as  well  as  I  do.  He's 
an  impostor  !  Lock  him  up  !  " 

The  duke's  affected  manner  was  forgotten  for  the 
moment. 

"  You  may  have  the  organ,"  he  said.  "  But  I'll  be 
hanged  if  you're  going  to  have  me." 

The  policeman  held  on  with  a  grip  of  iron. 

Imitating  the  tobacconist's  voice,  Jack  made  hirn  say — 

"  Let  the  man  go.     I  like  his  music." 

"  You  said  just  now,  '  lock  him  up,'"  answered  the 
constable,  somewhat  staggered. 

"  I've  changed  my  mind,  and  shan't  charge  him.  Let 
him  go,"  continued  Jack. 

Releasing  his  hold,  the  policeman  said,  in  a  tone  of 
disgust — 

"It's  my  opinion  you  don't  know  your  own  mind." 

"This  way!"  whispered  the  duke  to  Harkaway. 
"  Come  along ;  it's  getting  too  hot !  " 

"But  the  organ?  " 

"That  will  be  all  right.     Cut  on  with  me." 

Leaving  the  policeman  with  the  organ,  they  ran  quickly 
up  the  Corn  Market. 

The  tobacconist  seized  the  policeman  by  the  arm  and 
shook  him. 

"What  did  you  let  the  fellow  go  for?"  he  vociferated. 

"Didn't  you  tell  me  to?"  asked  the  astonished  con- 
stable. 

"I  never  opened  my  mouth,  and  I  tell  you  plainly,  it's 
my  opinion  you're  a  humbug.  I'll  report  you  !  "  said 
Brown,  shaking  his  fist  at  him.  "I'm  a  respectable 
tradesman,  and  not  to  be  played  with  as  if  I  was  the  Lord 
Mayor's  fool" 
10 


1 46  /A  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

The  crowd,  which  had  taken  the  part  of  the  organ- 
grinder  from  the  first,  began  to  hiss  in  a  threatening 
manner. 

"You'd  better  go  in,  or  I  won't  answer  for  the  con- 
sequences," said  the  policeman. 

"I  shan't.     I've  a  right  to  be  here,"  said  Brown. 

"  Smash  his  windows  !  "  exclaimed  a  voice  in  the  mob. 

He  had  scarcely  spoken  before  a  shower  of  stones  fell 
upon  the  glass,  and  it  was  not  until  a  reinforcement  of 
police  came  up  that  the  crowd  was  dispersed. 

Jack  and  the  Duke  of  Woodstock  ran  into  the  "  Mitre/' 
forgetting  how  they  were  dressed. 

"  A  bottle  of  fiz.     Quick  !  "  said  the  duke  to  the  waiter. 

"We  only  serve  gentlemen,"  replied  the  waiter,  stiffly. 

"What  do  you  call  us,  you  insolent  ruffian  !  "  crind  t:ie 
duke. 

"  I  take  you  for  a  couple  of  cadgers  or  thieves,  yn^  if 
you  don't  step  it,  I'll  help  you." 

The  duke  caught  sight  of  himself  in  the  glass,  and  burst 
out  laughing. 

"  You're  right,  Alfred,"  he  said.  "  I  forgot  the  toj  gery, 
and  you  were  not  to  know  who  we  were." 

"If  I've  made  a  mistake,"  said  the  waiter,  hesitaf  ngly, 
"I'll " 

"It  doesn't  matter.  We'll  get  back  to  college!  only, 
when  you  see  Mr.  Harkaway  and  the  Duke  of  Woo  {stock 
again,  don't  be  in  too  great  a  hurry  to  kick  then  out  of 
the  '  Mitre.' " 

As  the  two  young  men  left  the  room,  the  waiter  ;ubbed 
his  eyes. 

"Is  this  a  lark?"  he  muttered,  "or  is  it  som  *  artful 
dodge  ?  Blessed  if  I  know.  The  gents  here  are  always 
up  to  something,  and  yet  there  are  suspicious  tharac- 
ters  about." 

When  the  duke  reached  St.  Aldate'she  found  Sir  Jydney 
had  already  returned,  and  Clinker  the  scout  was  landing 
his  organ. 

"  Where's  the  other,  sir?"  asked  the  scout. 

"Taken  in  charge.  Go  down  to  the  police-sta< ion  and 
get  it ;  pay  the  bobby  who's  got  it  what  he  asks.  Come 
back  and  start  the  two  Italian  coves." 

In  a  short  time  they  had  changed  their  clotnes,  and 
repaired  to  Dawson's  rooms. 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  147 

The  duke  once  more  became  the  effeminate  and  lisping 
dandy. 

Sir  Sydney  was  also  dressed,  and  amusing  himself  by 
counting  a  quantity  of  halfpence. 

"Three  and  sevenpence  farthing,"  he  said,  as  they  en- 
tered. "That's  not  bad  for  one  hour.  Organ  grinding 
must  be  a  good  trade. " 

"It  was  your  pretty  face  that  did  it  with  the  women 
and  slavies,"  answered  Jack. 

"  What's  your  total?"  continued  Dawson. 

"Woodstock  and  I  will  divide,  as  I  collected  some  of 
his  coppers,"  returned  Jack.  "  Look  here  ;  four  and  five- 
pence  halfpenny." 

"  I've  only  got  a — aw — a  bob ;  one  solitary  Robertus," 
said  the  duke. 

"Then  Dawson  wins  the  bet." 

"That's  a  moral,"  replied  Dawson.      "Where's   your 
monkey,  Jack  ?  " 
.  "  I've  sold  it." 

"Who  to?" 

"  Old  Mole,"  replied  Jack. 

"Never  !     How  did  you  work  that?" 

"Oh,  beautifully.  I  ventriloquise,  you  know,  and  I 
made  the  monkey  talk.  Mole  was  charmed.  He  gave 
me  ten  pounds  for  it,  and  thinks  he  has  discovered  the 
missing  link." 

"  That's  grand  !  What  chaff  we  shall  have  with  him," 
said  Sir  Sydney. 

"  Not  bad  ideaw.  Easy  thing,  though,  to — aw — sell  an 
old  fool  like — aw — Mole,"  remarked  the  duke. 

While  they  were  talking,  Harvey  came  in,  and  was 
offered  some  champagne  cup,  which  Dawson  had  been 
brewing. 

"  Don't  you  think  this  sort  of  thing  very  disgraceful?" 
he  asked. 

"You're  a  nice  fellow  to  talk,"  replied  Jack.  "What 
do  you  know  about  it  ?  " 

"  I've  heard  it  all  from  Buster.  If  this  is  the  way  you 
spend  your  time,  and  bring  the  university  into  disgrace, 
you'll  cut  a  good  figure  when  you  go  into  the  schools  ! " 

"I've  passed  my  little  go,"  said  the  duke.  "Awful 
boavv,  little  go  ;  don't — aw — know  what  I  shall  do  when 
I  go  in  for  my  greats." 


1 48  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

' '  Who  won  the  bet  ?  " 

"Dawson,  with  lots  of  bronzes  to  spare,"  replied  Jack. 

"  I  suppose  you  are  going  down  to  Mole  presently,  just 
to  undeceive  him  ?  " 

"That  is  my  intention.  Won't  he  grunt  over  it  ?  "  said 
Jack.  "Why,  it  will  be  chaff  against  him  all  his  life." 

"  He  firmly  believes  the  monkey  can  talk.  You  did  it 
splendidly." 

"  Of  course  I  did,  my  innocent ;  and  I  should  have  had 
you,  too,  if  I  hadn't  winked." 

"  I  don't  know  that.     I'm  not  easily  caught." 

"  Didn't  you  see  a  ghost  once  in  Singapore,  Dick?" 
asked  Jack,  with  a  quiet  laugh. 

"I  don't  mean  to  say  I'm  always  wide  awake  ;  no  one 
is.  Come  on  down  to  Mole's.  I  want  to  see  the  end  of  it." 

"All  right,"  replied  Jack,  and  wishing  the  others  good- 
bye, they  strolled  up  St.  Giles's,  and  stopped  at  Mr.  Mole's 
house. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

TRAINING     AT    PUTNEY. 

MR.  MOLE  was  sitting  at  tea.  A  comfortable  fire  blazed 
on  the  hearth,  the  kettle  smoked  on  the  hob,  and  he  had 
placed  the  monkey  on  a  chair. 

"  Would  you  like  a  cup  of  tea  ? "  he  asked. 

The  monkey  made  no  reply,  but  stretched  out  his  paw 
for  a  nut,  some  of  which  stood  on  the  table,  having  been 
specially  sent  for. 

"Ah  !  you  would  prefer  nuts.  It  is  a  pity  you  will  not 
answer  me.  Have  I  done  anything  to  offend  you  ? " 

No  reply  again. 

"Come  in,  Harkaway,  and  you,  Harvey,"  said  Mr. 
Mole,  as  these  two  stood  in  the  doorway.  "I  have  some- 
thing to  show  you." 

' '  What's  that,  sir,  a  whale  ?  " 

"No  ;  a  monkey.     A  most  remarkable  animal  indeed." 

"  I  thought  it  was  something  in  the  natural  history  line," 
exclaimed  Jack. 

"  This  monkey  can  beat  yours,  Harkaway.  It  talks — 
positively  it  can  converse." 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 49 

"That  won't  do,  sir  ;  when  I  hear  him  I'll  believe  it,  and 
not  before,"  said  Jack,  with  a  shake  of  his  head. 

"I  appeal  to  Harvey,"  replied  Mr.  Mole.  "He  was 
with  me  when  I  made  this  truly  wonderful  purchase." 

"I  heard  some  one  speak,  sir,  that  I  admit,"  answered 
Harvey. 

"  My  servant  has  gone  to  invite  Dear  Liddel  and  Mr. 
VVhewell  to  take  tea  with  me,  for  I  am  determined  that 
everyone  in  the  university  shall  hear  of  the  prodigy." 

"Is  that  the  beast  ? "  asked  Jack,  pointing  to  the  Bishop. 

"Yes.     Observe  him  closely." 

"  Well,  it's  a  funny  thing  ;  but  I  have  lost  my  monkey, 
and  that  one  bears  a  striking  resemblance  to  it." 

Mr.  Mole  changed  colour. 

"Nonsense,"  he  said,  adding,  "still,  when  I  come  to 
think  of  it,  there  is  a  likeness." 

"You've  been  imposed  upon  by  some  one,  sir." 

"  But  it  spoke  ;  I  heard  it." 

"Perhaps  the  seller  was  a  ventriloquist,"  suggested 
Jack. 

Mr.  Mole's  lower  jaw  fell. 

He  saw,  or  fancied  he  saw,  the  trick  now,  and  remem- 
bering Jack's  powers,  conjectured  that,  in  the  language 
of  the  vulgar,  he  had  been  "sold." 

"  Was  it  you  ?  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Did  you  dress  up  to 
play  this  trick  upon  me  ?  Answer  me.  I  will  not  be 
trifled  with.  No  one  shall  make  me  a  laughing  stock 
with  impunity." 

"  I  confess  I  did,"  answered  Jack.  "I  sold  you  the 
monkey.  Who  else  could  know  all  about  Limbi  and  your 
two  wives,  sir  ? " 

"Of  course.  Well,  I  can  never  forgive  you.  If  I  had 
not  invited  the  heads  of  houses  to  see  the  creature,  and 
likewise  written  a  long  letter  to  the  local  journal,  which 
has  ere  this  been  dropped  into  the  editor's  box  of  the 
Oxford  Times,  I  should  not  care  so  much." 

Jack  could  not  help  laughing  at  his  distress,  which  was 
comical  in  the  extreme. 

' '  You  shall  not  laugh  at  me, "  cried  Mr.  Mole,  half-cry- 
ing with  vexation.  "  Get  out  of  my  sight." 

"  Won't  you  give  me  a  cup  of  tea  first,  sir  ?  " 

"  No  tea  do  you  have  in  this  house.  Be  off,  and  take 
your  wretched  monkey  with  you  " 


150  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Jack  called  Soapy  Sam,  who  at  once  jumped  into  his 
arms  and  lovingly  rubbed  his  head  against  his  master's 
cheek. 

"  Stay  !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Mole,  "  my  ten  pounds.  Re- 
store to  me  my  money.'' 

"  Not  a  rap.  I'm  going  to  give  a  dinner,  sir,  with  that, 
and  if  you  holloa  too  loud,  I  shall  tell  the  story  to  all  the 
men  I  know  in  college." 

Mr.  Mole  groaned  dismally. 

"Good-bye,  sir.  You  ought  to  start  a  natural  history 
class.  Neither  Darwin  nor  Owen  would  have  a  chance 
with  you,"  laughed  Jack. 

In  a  fit  of  desperation  Mr.  Mole  threw  the  muffins  at  him, 
but  missed  and  only  spoilt  a  bran-new  Brussels. 

"  Better  luck  next  time,"  said  Jack. 

He  and  Harvey  went  back  to  college  and  found  Tom 
Garden  waiting  for  them. 

"  Hullo,  Garden.  What's  your  little  game  ?  "  exclaimed 
Jack. 

"My  diminutive  amusement,"  replied  Garden,  "is  to 
put  the  drag  on." 

"Whom  or  what ? " 

"You,  my  pippin." 

"What  for?" 

"I'll  tell  you.  It  strikes  me  that  now  you  and  Wood- 
stock and  Dawson  have  got  together  again,  you  will  go 
the  pace  too  fast." 

"  Well  ? "  ejaculated  Jack. 

"You  will  be  no  good  in  the  eight.  We  can't  afford 
to  lose  our  best  oar." 

"Thank  you  for  the  compliment,"  replied  Jack,  laugh* 
ing.  "What  has  aroused  the  ire  of  my  gentle  commo- 
dore ? " 

"  I  heard  about  your  performance  this  afternoon,  and 
if  you  go  on  like  this,  you  will  be  gated.  As  it  is,  you 
didn't  turn  up  in  the  boat,  and  we  had  to  put  a  waterman 
in  to  fill  up." 

' '  Suppose  I  promise  to  be  a  good  boy  ?  " 

"In  that  case,  I  will  not  say  anything  more." 

" Have  a  game  at  crib,"  replied  Jack,  "you  surly  old 
bear,  and  just  allow  me  one  pint  of  Oxford  ale." 

"Not  a  drop.  I  expect  you've  had  enough  to-day," 
answered  Garden. 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  151 

"Only  a  portion  of  one  champagne  cup." 

"That's  bad.  You  can't  train  on  champagne.  Re- 
member, we  go  down  to  Putney  in  a  month,  and  the 
honor  of  the  'varsity  is  at  stake." 

"  It's  in  no  danger  in  your  hands." 

"But  it  is  in  those  of  our  youngsters,  who  are  strong 
as  lions,  and  simple  as  doves." 

"What's  the  latest  from  Cambridge?  "  asked  Jack 

"  Bells  Life  says  they  are  a  stunning  good  crew  ;  the 
best  that  have  been  seen  on  the  Cam  for  ever  so  long. " 

"All  the  more  credit  in  licking  them.  I  like  a  ding- 
dong  race  from  start  to  finish,"  exclaimed  Jack. 

"  So  do  I ;  but  we  must  not  leave  anything  to  chance, 
and  all  I  can  tell  you  is  that  if  the  coxswain  of  the  O.  U. 
B.  C.  is  displeased  with  any  man's  form,  he  will  put  him 
out  of  the  boat  at  the  eleventh  hour." 

"It's  bad  enough  to  work  hard,  but  worse  to  be  bul- 
lied," grumbled  Jack. 

"Discipline  and  training  will  always  pull  a  race  off," 
replied  Tom  Garden.  "  Put  that  pipe  down,  sir." 

"What,  not  one  pipe?  "  Jack  groaned. 

"If  you  want  to  lose  your  wind,  do  it;  if  you  don't, 
put  it  down." 

"Isn't  he  a  tyrant,  Dick?"  said  Jack,  appealing  to 
Harvey. 

"Awful !     I  wouldn't  stand  it,"  replied  Harvey. 

"  He  must  do  as  he's  told,  and  I  will  have  him  up  at 
six  to-morrow  for  a  ten-mile  spin  in  flannels,"  answered 
Garden,  with  an  authoritative  nod  of  the  head. 

There  was  no  escape  from  Garden's  discipline,  and  Jack 
did  not  attempt  to  fight  against  it  any  longer. 

The  time  soon  came  for  the  rival  crews  to  leave  Oxford 
and  Cambridge,  and  take  up  their  residence  at  Putney. 

As  usual,  the  Oxonians  went  to  the  "Fox  and  Hounds 
Hotel." 

The  Cantabs  to  the  "Star  and  Garter." 

It  was  generally  thought  that  the  crews  were  very 
equally  matched. 

If  anything,  sporting  prophets  were  rather  inclined  to 
favour  Cambridge. 

But  the  knowing  ones  of  the  universities  looked  at  Tom 
Garden's  swinging  strokes,  and  Harkaway's  broad  shoul- 
ders and  bull-like  strength. 


I5?  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"That  man  Harkaway,"  said  a  man,  who  had  been  once 
stroke  of  the  Eton  eight,  "  is  like  a  machine." 

"Yes,"  answered  his  friend,  who  was  captain  of  the 
Leander  Club  ;  "I  call  him  a  machine.  If  he  remains  fit 
and  well,  it's  a  moral  certainty  for  Oxford." 

So  opinions  were  divided. 

Some  thought  it  a  "  moral"  for  the  Cantabs,  others  the 
same  for  the  dwellers  by  the  classic  Isis. 

It  wanted  but  a  week  to  the  great  race,  which  drives  all 
London  and  its  suburbs  wild  with  excitement. 

Jack  had  rowed  up  with  the  crew  to  Barnes,  and  leav- 
ing the  boat  at  May's  boat-house,  crossed  over  the  river 
to  walk  home  across  the  little  common  at  Barnes. 

They  had  done  the  distance  in  twenty  minutes,  three 
seconds,  which  was  tolerably  good 

Tom  Garden  and  Jack  walked  side  by  side,  as  carefully 
muffled  up  in  boating  coats  and  flannels — for  the  weather 
was  chilly  and  damp — as  if  they  had  been  thoroughbred 
race-horses  ;  and  thoroughbreds  they  were. 

Suddenly  a  man  jumped  up  from  behind  a  heap  of  furze 
bushes. 

He  had  a  sunburnt,  weather-beaten  countenance,  the 
expression  of  which  was  villanously  evil 

But  this  was  nothing. 

That  which  struck  Jack  and  made  him  turn  pale  was 
the  strange  fact  that  he  had  only  one  arm. 

He  thought  of  the  dark  night  in  the  Iffley  Road,  when 
a  cowardly  assassin  tried  to  stab  him. 

He  thought  of  the  gallant  way  in  which  Fabian  Hall 
pushed  in  front  of  him,  and  received  the  deadly  knife  in 
his  side. 

He  could  see  the  poor  fellow  carried  bleeding  in*o  a 
house,  and,  looking  after  that,  he  saw  him,  pale  and 
emaciated,  obliged  to  leave  his  college  for  a  time  to  recruit 
his  shattered  health. 

Involuntarily  he  exclaimed — 

"  Hunston  !  " 

To  Jack's  startled  exclamation  the  one-armed  man 
replied, 

"  Yes,  I  am  Hunston,  and  I  recognise  you  as  easily  as 
you  do  me.  You  are  Jack  Harkaway." 

"There  is  nothing  to  be  ashamed  of  in  that,"  answered 
Jack, 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  153 

"You  mean  to  imply  that  there  is  something  to  be 
ashamed  of  in  being  Hunston  ?  " 

"  If  you  like  to  interpret  my  remark  in  that  way,  you 
are  welcome,"  replied  jack,  carelessly. 

"You  always  were  insulting  me,"  said  Hunston,  with 
a  vindictive  glance. 

"  I  haven't  forgotten  our  schooldays,  or  our  adventures 
abroad,  nor  yet  that  night  in  the  Iffley  Road." 

It  was  Hunston's  turn  to  go  white  now. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  he  gasped. 

"Whatlsa'y." 

"I  know  nothing  of  the  Iffley  Road,  nothing  at  all ; 
but  I  know  this,  I  have  come  back  from  the  Malays,  which 
you  little  expected,  my  fine  fellow,"  exclaimed  Hunston. 

Tom  Garden,  thinking  the  conversation  was  becoming 
of  a  private  nature  and  that  he  was  not  wanted,  ap- 
proached. 

"  I'll  go  on,  Harkaway,"  he  said. 

"  Don't  do  anything  of  the  sort,"  replied  Jack. 

"But  you  have  met  an  old  friend." 

"Rather  say  an  old  enemy." 

"Still  he  is  a  stranger  to  me,  and  if  you  do  not  think 
fit  to  introduce  me  to  the — a — the  gentleman " 

"Say  the  scoundrel,"  exclaimed  Jack,  angrily. 

"Well,  I  don't  want  to  interfere  in  a  fellow's  private 
affairs,"  urged  Garden. 

"  My  dear  fellow,  I  do  not  wish,  in  the  present  instance, 
to  have  anything  private  from  you,"  replied  Jack,  de- 
cidedly. "This  man  and  I  have  nothing  in  common. 
Whatever  he  has  to  say  to  me  may  be  heard  by  you,  or 
by  the  whole  world." 

"  Oh,  if  that's  the  case,  I'll  hang  on,"  said  Garden. 

He  folded  his  arms  and  looked  rather  more  insolently 
than  curiously  at  Hunston. 

His  gaze  was  returned  in  the  same  spirit 


154  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

HUNSTON   AT  WORK. 

NEVER  was  Harkaway  more  surprised  than  when  he 
saw  Hunston  on  Barnes  Common. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  Hunston  had  always  been 
his  determined  enemy. 

At  school,  at  sea,  on  land. 

It  was  all  the  same. 

There  was  no  conciliating  Hunston,  or  making  a  decent 
member  of  society  of  him. 

It  seemed  as  if  the  man  was  born,  and  bred,  and  edu- 
cated a  scamp  and  a  villain. 

Jack  had  hoped  that  he  would  never  see  him  again. 

He  had  fancied  that  he  perished  when  the  British  ship 
attacked  and  shelled  the  pirates'  stronghold. 

The  hope  had  proved  to  be  fallacious. 

"I  escaped,  I  tell  you,  from  the  pirates,"  continued 
Hunston. 

"  It's  a  matter  of  indifference  to  me,"  answered  Jack. 

"No,  it  is  not — you  will  not  find  it  so.  I  was  on  the 
point  of  dying.  They  told  me  I  should  die." 

"  Pity  you  didn't.  You're  no  use  to  yourself  or  anyone 
else. " 

"  When  I  thought  of  you,  and  all  the  debt  of  vengeance 
I  owed  you,  it  gave  me  new  life,"  Hunston  went  on. 

*'  What  harm  can  you  do  me  ?  "Basked  Jack. 

"  I'll  try  to  do  you  a  good  deal." 

"  Look  here,  old  man,"  said  Jack,  "  I  consider  this  in- 
trusion an  impertinence." 

"I  can't  help  what  you  consider  it" 

"  More  than  that,  I'll  have  you  bound  over  to  keep  the 
peace,  for  using  threats. " 

"You  don't  know  where  to  find  me,"  answered  Hunston, 
savagely,  "and  you  never  will.  I  shall  always  be  dog- 
ging you  and  hitting  you  in  the  dark,  but  you  won't 
know  who  does  it." 

"Go  away,"  said  Jack,  " I  don't  want  you." 

"I  shall  not  go  away,"  replied  Hunston,  outtingr  him- 
self in  front  of  hift*. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  155 

"Then  I  shall  have  to  make  you." 

Jack  doubled  his  fists  as  he  spoke. 

"If  you  are  coward  enough  to  hit  a  one-armed  man, 
that's  another  thing/'  said  Hunston,with  a  careless  laugh. 

"So  you  presume  on  that,  do  you?" 

"You  did  it.  You  made  me  what  I  am;  a  maimed 
man.  Curse  you  for  it !  " 

"Was  it  not  your  own  fault ?  Why  didn't  you  let  me 
alone  ? " 

"  Because  I  did  not  choose  to.  You  ask  what  harm  I 
can  do  you.  Emily  isn't  your  wife  yet,  is  she  ?  "  said 
Hunston. 

' '  How  dare  you  mention  her  name  to  me  ?  "  asked  Jack, 
angrily. 

"  Perhaps  you  prefer  Miss  Hilda  Manasses.  You  see, 
I  know  all  about  your  Oxford  life,"  cried  Hunston,  with 
a  provoking  laugh. 

"Come  along,  Garden,"  said  Jack.  "This  man  is  be- 
coming a  nuisance." 

"  All  right,  old  fellow  ;  lead  on,"  replied  the  captain  of 
the  Oxford  crew. 

"  Wait  a  bit,"  said  Hunston.  "Take  this  slip  of  paper 
with  you  first." 

"What  is  it?"  inquired  Jack,  shrinking  back,  he  knew 
not  why. 

"  It's  a  summons  to  appear  before  a  judge  in  chambers 
to-morrow. " 

"What  for?" 

"To  show  cause  why  you  should  not  be  committed  to 
prison  for  not  paying  Mr.  Moses  Manasses  a  thousand 
pounds." 

' '  So  you  are  doing  the  Jew's  dirty  work,  are  you  ? "  said 
Jack,  with  a  contemptuous  glance. 

"Why  shouldn't  I,  if  it  suits  me  ?"  returned  Hunston. 
boldly. 

"  And  playing  into  the  hands  of  Kemp  and  Davis." 

"They  are  decent  fellows  enough." 

"Are  they?" 

"Well,  we  have  one  bond  of  union,  and  that  is  our 
hatred  for  you,"  replied  Hunston. 

Jack  took  the  piece  of  paper,  and  tore  it  up  in  a  passion. 

He  cast  the  pieces  to  the  winds,  and  they  fluttered  into 
the  furze  bushes. 


1 56  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"I  call  you  to  witness,  Mr.  Garden,"  said  Hunston, 
"  that  it  was  a  legal  service." 

"I  know  nothing  about  these  things,"  answered 
Garden. 

'  He  will  disregard  it  at  his  peril." 
'  What  will  be  the  consequence  ?  "  asked  Garden. 
'  Let  him  find  out.      I  shall  say  no  more." 
'But  what  is  it?     Does  he  owe  the  money?  " 
'Ask  him,"  said  Hunston,  turning  sullenly  on  his  heel 
and  walking  rapidly  away. 

Harkaway  and  Garden  proceeded  some  distance  in 
silence. 

At  length  Garden  said — 

"  What  is  all  this  about?  I  don't  want  to  pry  into  your 
secrets,  but  do  you  owe  Manasses  this  money?  " 

"Yes,"  replied  Jack,  shortly.      "  I  suppose  I  do." 

' '  Ho\v  ?  " 

"  I  was  rooked  out  of  a  bill  for  that  amount." 

"By  whom?" 

"  Kemp." 

"I  always  thought  that  fellow  Kemp  was  a  bad  lot 
By  Jove,  its  awkward,"  exclaimed  Garden  reflectively. 

"  What  would  you  do  ?"  asked  Jack. 

"  Hanged  if  I  know.  Take  no  notice  of  it  till  after  the 
race,  anyhow." 

"Do  you  think  it  will  be  all  right?"  asked  Jack, 
anxiously. 

"Better  get  a  solicitor,  perhaps  ;  and  yet  that  will  only 
upset  you.  Keep  quiet  till  the  race  is  over,  for  goodness, 
sake,"  answered  Garden. 

"I  should  not  like  to  worry  myself.  Nothing  takes  it 
out  of  a  man  so  much  as  worrying.  Does  it?  '' 

"Nothing,  I  should  think." 

"Fancy  that  fellow  turning  lawyer's  clerk,  and  doing 
that  sort  of  thing,"  said  Jack.  "I  thought  him  dead 
amongst  the  Malays." 

' '  Think  of  something  else  ?  They  surely  can't  do  much 
in  a  week,"  replied  Garden.  "When  we  have  rowed  you 
can  see  to  it." 

"Shall  I  dismiss  it  from  my  mind?" 

" By  all  means.     Let's  have  a  game  at  billiards." 

"I'd  rather  have  a  quiet  pipe  to  soothe  my  nerves,"  ex 
claimed  Jack. 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  157 

"That  I  can't  allow.  Turn  your  thoughts  in  another 
direction,  that's  a  good  fellow.  What's  going  to  win  the 
Derby  ? " 

Jack  made  some  random,  hap-hazard  answer,  and  they 
continued  to  chatter  about  various  matters  till  they 
reached  the  hotel  at  Putney. 

He  tried  to  put  on  a  cheerful  countenance. 

But  in  reality  his  mind  was  ill  at  ease. 

The  reappearance  of  Hunston  on  the  scene  was  enough 
to  disconcert  him. 

When  he  knew  that  he  was  working  in  with  Manasses, 
Kemp  and  Davis,  he  felt  that  he  had  real  cause  for  alarm. 

Nevertheless,  he  took  no  notice  of  the  summons  to 
appear  before  a  judge. 

Some  days  elapsed. 

He  fancied  that  Hunston's  conduct  was  only  intended 
to  frighten  him. 

In  fact  he  began  to  laugh  at  the  whole  affair. 

Harvey  had  come  up  to  London,  so  had  Sir  Sydney 
Dawson,  the  Duke  of  Woodstock,  and  other  men  he 
knew. 

Half  Oxford  and  Cambridge  were  in  town  to  see  the 
race. 

Harvey  called  upon  him  at  the  hotel  where  the  crew 
were  stopping. 

"I  hear  good  accounts  of  you,  Jack,  in  the  papers," 
said  Harvey. 

"Do  you?"  asked  Jack  modestly,  as  if  he  never  read 
the  papers. 

Whereas  it  was  great  fun  for  the  crew  every  morning 
to  look  at  all  the  morning  journals,  directly  after  break- 
fast. 

They  rather  liked  the  criticisms  of  the  press. 

"  It  is  the  general  opinion  that  you  are  the  mainstay 
of  the  crew,"  answered  Harvey. 

"That's  all  rot,"  said  Jack.  "  There  are  many  better 
men  in  the  boat  than  I." 

"  I  can't  help  what  people  say." 

"  No,  of  course  not,  and  it's  very  kind  of  you  to  cheer 
me  up. " 

"I  suppose  it  is  no  use  asking  you  to  have  a  friendly 
drink. " 

' '  After  the  race,  dear  boy, " 


158  JACK  HA RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"There  is  that  fellow  Kemp,  betting  against  Oxford 
like  steam,"  exclaimed  Harvey. 

"  Is  he  ?"  said  Jack,  thinking  of  Hunston. 

"Yes.  Isn't  it  rather  seedy  to  bet  against  one's  own 
university  ? " 

"  Kemp  generally  knows  what  he  is  about,  though  he 
was  a  little  out  over  the  steeple-chase  ;  still,  it  is  no  use 
losing  one's  money.  The  betting  is  even,  you  know." 

"But  he  is  laying  five  to  four  on  Cambridge.  Is  there 
anything  wrong  ? " 

"  Not  that  I  know  of,"  replied  Jack. 

"  Are  you  going  out  to-day  ?  "  asked  Harvey. 

"Just  going  for  a  paddle,  that's  all.  We  have  done 
our  heavy  work." 

"Well,  ta,  ta,  for  the  present.  I'll  back  you  up  like 
bricks  to-morrow.  When  do  you  start?" 

"Not  till  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  because  of  the 
tide,"  replied  Jack. 

They  separated. 

The  Oxford  crew  went  out  for  a  paddle  as  far  as  the 
Soap  Works  and  back  again,  and  all  their  admirers  were 
in  raptures  about  them. 

In  the  evening  Jack  was  standing  with  Garden  in  the 
entrance  to  the  hotel. 

A  couple  of  men  came  up. 

One  advanced  and  said — 

"Mr.  Harkaway,  I  believe." 

"That's  my  name,"  replied  Jack. 

He  looked  curiously  at  the  shabby  genteel  person  who 
had  accosted  him. 

"A  lawyer's  clerk  for  money,"  was  his  mental  exclam- 
ation, "or  a  sheriffs  officer." 

"You  are  my  prisoner,"  said  the  man. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

Jack  started  back,  and  a  dangerous  fire  flashed  from 
his  eyes. 

"I  arrest  you  at  the  suit  of  Mr.  Moses  Manasses,  of 
Oxford,  for  a  debt  of  one  thousand  pounds,  and  you 
must  come  with  me." 

"  Go  with  you? "  repeated  Jack, in  an  abstracted  manner. 

"Unless  you  can  pay  the  money." 

"That  is  impossible,  at  so  short  a  notice.  Why  did 
you  not  tell  me  before  ?  " 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 59 

"  You  had  due  notice.  The  summons  was  served  upon 
you,  and,  as  you  did  not  appear,  the  judge  made  an 
order  that  if  the  money  was  not  paid  in  three  days,  you 
were  to  be  imprisoned  for  six  weeks  at  Holloway  Gaol, 
on  the  debtors'  side.  I  only  do  my  duty,  you  know, 
sir. " 

"But  I'm  going  to  row  in  the  Oxford  eight  to-morrow," 
said  Jack. 

"I  don't  think  you  will,  sir,"  replied  the  officer,  with  a 
cunning  leer. 

"  Can't  you  let  this  stand  over?  "  said  Jack. 

"  Impossible,  sir." 

"Consider  my  engagement." 

"That's  why  they've  put  the  screw  on  ;  that  is  the 
reason  of  the  arrest.  Old  Man  asses  of  Oxford  is  a  rare 
fox.  We  know  him  of  old.  He's  up  to  all  the  moves 
on  the  board." 

"What  can  I  do  ?  "  said  Jack,   turning  to  Carden. 

"Come  into  a  private  room,"  replied  Carden,  "and 
let  us  talk  for  a  moment.  It  will  never  do  to  have  a 
scene  here,  and  let  all  this  get  about." 

"  I'll  follow  you,  sir,"  said  the  officer. 

Carden  led  the  way  into  a  private  room,  and  the  door 
closed  upon  the  three  of  them. 

"Now,"  said  Carden,  sitting  down,  "let  us  proceed 
to  business.  This  is  not  entirely  unexpected.  Show  me 
your  warrant  for  the  arrest." 

The  man  did  so,  and  the  document  was  found  per- 
fectly legal. 

"Have  you  had  notice  of  this,  Harkaway?"  con- 
tinued Carden. 

"Yes,"  replied  Jack  ;  "I  received  a  letter,  but  threw 
it  in  the  fire." 

"Can  you  get  the  money  from  your  friends?  " 

"I  don't  like  to  ask,"  answered  Jack.  "My  people 
might  pay,  but  I  don't  think  they  would." 

' '  Then  there  is  nothing  for  it  but  to  go  with  this 
gentleman." 

Jack  groaned. 

''It  is  an  infamous  plot.  I  can  see  that  Kemp  has 
been  working  upon  old  Manasses,"  he  said. 

"We  shall  lose  the  race  without  you,  that's  a  certainty." 

"Can't  you  put  another  man  in  my  place?  " 


1 60  JACK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  We  must ;  but  who  can  we  find  as  good  as  you  at  a 
moment's  notice?"  replied  Garden.  "You  have  been 
in  training  for  six  months,  and  are  an  exceptionally  good 
oar. " 

"It's  a  case  then.  Poor  old  Oxford!"  moaned  Jack. 
' '  I  don't  care  for  myself  so  much — I  suppose  that  I  shall 

?et  out  of  it  somehow — but  I  do  feel  for  the  university, 
f  this  had  come  after  the  race,  I  should  not  have  minded 
a  snap  of  the  fingers." 

"There's  the  sting  of  it.  The  rascals  knew  how  it 
would  cut  you  up,"  said  Garden. 

"Well,"  exclaimed  Jack,  philosophically,  "  it's  no  use 
making  any  bones  about  it.  Call  a  cab,  officer.  I'll  go 
with  you.  Explain  it  all  privately  to  the  crew,  Tom, 
will  you  kindly  ?  " 

"Leave  that  to  me,"  replied  Garden,  wringing  his 
hand  warmly. 

"Thanks,"  said  Jack. 

The  tears  came  into  his  eyes. 

A  greater  blow  could  not  have  been  administered  to 
him. 

"  If  any  thing  can  be  done  for  you  between  this  time 
and  four  o'clock  to-moirow,  old  man,  it  shan't  be  my 
fault  if  it  isn't,"  exclaimed  Garden. 

A  few  minutes  passed  in  silence. 

Then  the  cab  drove  up. 

Jack  followed  the  officer,  got  in,  and  was  slowly  drivep 
off  to  the  City  gaol  at  Holloway. 

For  the  first  time  in  his  life  he  was  a  prisoner. 

A  prisoner  for  debt,  with  little  chance  of  release. 

"  If  I  could  only  have  rowed  in  the  race,"  he  kept  on 
repeating  to  himself,  as  the  cab  lumbered  along  the  dull 
and  muddy  roads  to  the  north  of  London. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

IMPRISONED  FOR    DEBT. 


THOUGH  only  imprisoned  for  a  short  time,  and  on  the 
debtor's  side  of  the  large  castle-like  building  at  Holloway, 
Jack  was  miserable  enough. 


JACK  HARK  A  WAY  Al  OXFORD.  161 

The  feeling  that  he  was  living  in  the  same  building 
with  desperate  criminals  depressed  his  spirits. 

A  consciousness  of  the  triumph  of  his  enemies,  and 
last,  but  not  least,  losing  his  chance  of  distinguishing 
himself  in  the  great  race,  completely  overwhelmed  him. 

The  unfortunate  debtors  were  of  all  kinds  and  descrip- 
tions. 

There  were  a  clergyman,  a  barrister,  an  ex-member 
of  Parliament,  several  merchants  and  poor  gentlemen, 
tradesmen,  and  others. 

They  crowded  round  the  new  arrival,  and  offered  him 
spirits  and  tobacco,  which  had  been  smuggled  into  the 
gaol,  the  authorities  winking  at  their  consumption. 

But  Jack   declined  everything. 

He  was  sick  at  heart. 

The  disease  was  of  the  mind,  not  of  the  body. 

This,  however,  is  the  worst  form  of  disease  to  cure. 

Retiring  into  his  room,  which  was  nothing  better  than 
a  whitewashed  cell,  he  lighted  a  candle,  and  throwing 
himself  in  a  chair,  gave  himself  up  to  bitter  reflection. 

Kemp  and  Davis  had  been  too  many  for  him,  and 
Hunston  was  evidently  in  alliance  with  them  in  some 
singular  manner. 

The  blow  was  the  more  severe  as  it  had  come  from 
Hunston. 

At  length  Jack  rose,  and  paced  the  room  impatiently. 

He  was  like  a  caged  lion. 

If  he  could  have  broken  the  iron  bars  of  the  windows, 
or  forced  his  way  out  of  the  gloomy  place,  he  would  have 
done  so. 

His  period  of  depression  had  worn  off,  and  he  became 
furious. 

An  intense  longing  for  liberty  attacked  him. 

Some  men  in  the  adjoining  apartment  were  playing  at 
whist 

Their  shouts,  laughter,  and  imprecations  fell  upon  his  ears. 

The  poor  prisoners  were  making  merry. 

He  cursed  them  for  it  in  his  heart. 

How  dared  they  be  merry  when  he  was  so  sad  ? 

He  forgot  that  they  had  been  inmates  of  the  debtor's 
prison  longer  than  he  had. 

Their  minds  had  become  hardened,    and  the    misery 
which  had  weighed  them  down  at  first  had  worn  off. 
II 


1 62  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

At  length  the  time  came  for  the  light  to  be  extin- 
guished. 

He  was  not  sleepy,  and  casting  himself  on  the  bed, 
dressed  as  he  was,  lay  tossing  about  for  hours. 

Towards  morning  the  grey  dawn  peeped  through  the 
blindless  windows. 

He  fell  into  a  fitful  slumber. 

Then  he  was  disturbed  by  horrid  dreams. 

About  eight  o'clock  he  woke  hot  and  feverish. 

It  was  with  difficulty  that  he  ate  a  piece  of  toast  and 
swallowed  a  cup  of  tea. 

He  still  wore  his  boating  coat,  guernsey,  and  scarf. 

No  attempt  did  he  make  to  shave,  or  otherwise  make 
himself  tidy. 

What  did  he  care  about  the  adornment  of  his  person  ? 

Who  could  see  him  in  prison,  and  what  did  it  matter  if 
any  one  did? 

Was  he  not  a  poor,  heart-broken,  wretched  fellow, 
who  had  lost  all  interest  in  life  now  he  was  out  of  the 
Oxford  eight. 

That  was  what  he  thought. 

At  ten  o'clock  visitors  were  allowed  to  enter  the  gaol  to 
see  the  prisoners  for  debt 

To  Jack's  astonishment,  he  was  told  a  gentleman 
wanted  to  see  him. 

"Can  he  come  up  here ?  "  he  asked. 

"No,"  was  the  reply.      "You  must  go  down  to  him." 

Thinking  it  was  Garden,  Jack  hurried  downstairs,  and 
entering  the  common  room,  beheld  Moses  Manasses. 

"This  is  adding  insult  to  injury,"  he  exclaimed. 

"Pardon  me;  it  is  not,"  answered  the  Jew.  "I  have 
come  to  see  you  with  a  special  object." 

"  State  it  briefly,  if  you  please,  as  I  have  no  inclination 
to  talk  to  you,  and  would  rather  be  alone,"  replied  Jack, 
bluntly. 

"You  owe  me  money." 

"  I  never  had  a  farthing  from  you." 

"That  is  true,"  answered  Manasses.  ' '  But  you  owed 
it  to  another  for  a  debt  of  honour." 

"Don't  talk  about  it.  I  admit  the  debt,"  said  Jack, 
pettishly. 

"Well,"  continued  the  Jew,  "I  did  not  treat  you 
harshly  ;  I  said  that  I  would  take  the  interest  only." 


JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  163 

"  Why  didn't  you  stick  to  your  word,  then  ?  " 

"  Because  you  have  treated  me  badly." 

"I  should  like  to  know  how,"  inquired  Jack  with  a 
d-sdainful  laugh. 

"Did  you  not  make  love  to  my  daughter? " 

"I'll  swear  I  never  meant  anything;  on  my  word  of 
honour,  I  didn't,"  replied  Jack,  earnestly. 

"  Still  the  girl  thought  you  did,  and  she  loves  you.  Am 
I  to  have  my  child's  happiness  sacrificed  through  your 
thoughtlessness?  Is  it  fair?  Answer  me  that,  Mr. 
Harkaway." 

"If  I  had  anything  to  blame  myself  for,  I  should  de- 
cidedly say  'No,  it  is  not  fair,'  "  replied  Jack. 

The  Jew  paced  the  room  for  a  moment  or  two,  as  if  in 
deep  thought. 

"  Look  here/'  said  Jack,  stopping  him,  "you  are  rich, 
Mr.  Manasses." 

"  More  so  than  you  think." 

"I'm  glad  of  it,  for  your  sake.  Well,  I  will  pay  you 
some  of  these  fine  days.  Let  me  out  to-day,  and  you  can 
put  me  in  again  to-morrow." 

"Ah,  you  want  to  row.  It's  a  fine  thing  to  be  in  the 
university  eight  ;  you  get  your  name  in  the  papers.  I 
know  all  that,"  replied  Manasses  with  a  cunning  laugh. 

"Hang  the  papers,  and  the  publicity  of  them;  I'd 
rather  be  without  that,"  said  Jack  hastily.  "It  is  the 
honour  and  the  glory  of  rowing  a  winning  race,  that's 
what  I  care  about." 

"  It  comes  to  the  same  thing.  You  want  to  row,  do 
you  not,  Mr.  Harkaway  ?  " 

"  I'd  give  my  life  for  it,"  answered  Jack. 

' '  I  thought  so. " 

"That  is  why  you  have  put  the  screw  on,  you  hard- 
hearted, artful  old  wretch." 

"  Call  me  no  names.  I  want  your  friendship,  not  your 
abuse." 

"You  don't  go  the  right  way  to  get  it,  you  confound- 
edly dodgy  son  of  Israel." 

"Can  I  help  my  race?"  exclaimed  Manasses.  "Is 
there  any  harm  in  being  a  Jew  ?  In  what  is  a  Christian 
better  than  a  Jew  ?  " 

"We  won't  argue  that  point,"  replied  Jack  ;  "stick  to 
business.  Will  you  let  me  out  ?  " 


164  JA  CK  HARK  A  WA  Y  A  T  OXFORD. 

"Yes,"  replied  Manasses,  as  if  with  a  sudden  burst  <* 
good- nature. 

"You  will  ? "  cried  Jack,  gleefully. 

"I  will." 

"Then  I'll  say  you  are  the  best  money-lending  Jew  in 
Europe,  and  you  ought  to  have  a  putty  medal.  When 
can  I  go  ? " 

"In  a  short  time." 

"Make  haste,  the  crew  will  be  getting  wild  without 
me.  I'll  drive  you  down  to  Putney  in  a  hansom  ;  we'll 
have  a  bit  of  dinner  together  and  you  can  see  the  race, 
and  put  your  loose  cash  on  Oxford,"  said  Jack. 

"Not  so  fast,  Mr.  Harka way, "replied  the  Jew,  shaking 
his  head. 

Jack's  countenance  fell. 

"  You  said  I  might  go,"  he  exclaimed. 

"On  one  condition,"  answered  Manasses. 

"What  is  that?  Don't  beat  about  the  bush,  come  to 
the  point,  slick.  I  can't  stand  any  humbugging  suspense, " 
cried  Jack,  impatiently. 

"Will  you  make  the  only  amend  in  your  power,  and 
marry  my  daughter,  Hilda?  "  said  the  Jew. 

"  I  can't,  my  good  fellow,"  replied  Jack  in  despair. 

He  had  been  raised  to  the  height  of  hope  and  he  was 
dashed  into  the  depths  of  despair. 

"Is  that  your  condition  ?  "  he  added. 

"It  is." 

"  If  I  won't  marry  Miss  Hilda  Manasses,  you  won't  let 
me  out  of  this  beastly  hole,  and  I  can't  row  at  Putney 
to-day  ? " 

"Exactly." 

"It  is  impossible,"  said  Jack,  with  a  blank  look. 

"  Why  ?  "  asked  the  Jew,  whose  eager  countenance  be- 
spoke the  interest  he  took  in  this  conversation. 

"Because  I  am  engaged  to  another  young  lady,  and 
putting  my  affections  for  her,  which  is  the  growth  of 
years,  on  one  side,  I  cannot  as  a  man  of  honour  throw 
her  over." 

"Then  you  must  stay  here,"  replied  the  Jew,  heaving 
a  deep  sigh. 

"You're  a  pretty,  cool,  calculating  old  beast,  to  try  and 
work  upon  me  like  this,"  continued  Jack,  in  &  rage. 

The  Jew  remained  silent 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 65 

"  You  know,"  Jack  went  on,  "that  I  would  do  almost 
any  mortal  thing  in  the  world  to  row  to-day,  and  you 
come  and  tantalize  me  in  this  way. " 

"Marry  my  daughter,"  persisted  Manasses.  "Why 
not? — she  is  beautiful,  she  is  young,  she  is  rich.  You 
never  need  do  an  hour's  work  all  your  life,  and  she  loves 
you." 

"Turn  it  up,"  cried  Jack,  crossly;  "you've  got  my 
answer.  I'm  very  sorry  for  the  girl,  but  I  can't  help 
her. " 

"Very  well,"  cried  the  Jew,  red  with  passion,  "you 
shall  pay  the  penalty,  so  help  me  father  Abraham." 

"Then  I'm  Jew'd,  that's  all,"  replied  Jack,  putting  his 
hands  in  his  pockets. 

"  Pay  the  money  and  you  can  go.  Don't  be  obstinate, 
Mr.  Harkaway,"  said  Manasses,  mockingly. 

"If  you  don't  go,  I'll  pay  you,"  cried  Jack,  raising  his 
foot  threateningly. 

"Nice  sort  of  place  this  to  stay  in,"  continued  the  Jew, 
looking  round  him. 

Jack  could  bear  no  more. 

He  was  only  human  after  all,  and  his  endurance  had 
its  limits. 

He  gave  the  Jew  a  violent  kick  which  lifted  him  into 
the  air. 

This  was  followed  by  another  and  another,  until  at  last 
Mr.  Moses  Manasses  found  himself  on  his  hands  and 
knees  in  the  yard. 

"  That  will  teach  you  to  insult  a  gentleman,  you  black- 
guard, "  cried  Jack. 

The  Jew  clenched  his  fist  threateningly  as  he  rose  to 
his  feet. 

"Sheer  off,"  cried  Jack,  "unless  you  want  the  dose 
repeated. " 

Manasses  was  prudent  in  his  generation. 

He  pocketed  the  indignity  to  which  he  has  been  sub- 
jected, and  went  away  with  a  heavy  heart  and  a  sore 
back. 

Jack  felt  better  after  kicking  the  Jew. 

"That's  done  me  good,  at  any  rate,"  he  cried. 

"  What's  that  ?  "  asked  a  voice  at  his  elbow. 

Jack  turned  round  and  beheld  Tom  Garden,  who  had 
just  been  admitted. 


1 66  JACK  HA RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  How  are  you,  old  fellow  ? "  asked  Jack.  "  I  am  glad 
to  see  you.  This  is  good  of  you. " 

"What's  up?  I  saw  old  Manasses  bolting  out  of  the 
gate  like  one  o'clock  as  I  came  in." 

"I've  been  kicking  him,  taking  cool  kicks  at  his  stern, 
as  if  we'd  been  having  a  kick  about  at  Oxford  and  he  was 
the  foot-ball. " 

"That's  cheerful,"  laughed  Garden. 

"There  is  no  hope  of  getting  out,  though,  since  I've 
been  unable  to  make  terms  with  my  detaining  creditor," 
continued  Jack. 

"  What's  to  be  done?  " 

"Nothing.  Case  of  grin  and  bear  it,  though  I'm  af 
wild  as  a  hawk  or  a  pair  of  hawks." 

"We've  got  a  substitute,"  remarked  Garden. 

"  Have  you  ?     Who  is  he  ?  "  asked  Jack  jealously. 

It  cut  him  to  the  heart  to  know  that  some  one  else  was 
going  to  row  in  his  place. 

"A  man  named  Franklin." 

"  Franklin  of  St.  Aldate's?" 

"Yes." 

"I  know,"  replied  Jack.  "He's  one  of  our  ser- 
vitors." 

He  must  be  forgiven  if  he  spoke  slightly  contempt- 
uously of  Franklin. 

It  was  hard  to  be  supplanted,  and  still  harder,  after 
training  hard  for  the  great  race  for  six  months,  after  look- 
ing forward  to  the  race  all  through  the  dreary  winter. 

"Well,"  he  added,  as  if  sorry  for  his  momentary  jeal- 
ousy, "  Franklin's  a  good  man." 

"Steady  fellow,  but  you  could  give  him  pounds,  and 
beat  him  in  a  canter,"  replied  Garden. 

"  Perhaps,"  replied  Jack. 

Garden  regarded  Harkaway's  brawny  shoulders,  strong 
back,  and  sinewy  arms,  which  were  all  muscle. 

"You've  got  a  bicep  like  a  giant,"  he  said. 

"Never  mind,"  sighed  Jack,  "it's  no  good  now.  I 
shall  never  go  in  a  boat  again." 

"  Don't  say  that.     You'll  have  a  chance  next  year." 

Jack  looked  up  and  said,  "Will  the  fellows  trust  me?" 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  167 

CHAPTER  XXVL 
HILDA'S    GENEROSITY. 

"  WHY  should  they  not  trust  you  ? "  asked  Garden. 
"  Look   how   I   have   thrown   them   over  at  the  last 
minute,"  replied  Jack,  sorrowfully. 
"  It's  not  your  fault." 

"Whc 

anxiety. 

If  we  are  in  undeserved  trouble,  all  of  us  like  to 
know  what  our  friends  and  the  public  say  of  us. 

"Say,"  repeated  Garden,  "why,  they  declare  it's  a 
beastly  chouse.  It  will  play  old  Harry  with  Moses 
Manasses. " 

"Will  it?" 

' '  Yes,  every  fellow  I  have  spoken  to  swears  he'd  never 
do  a  bill  with  him  if  he  was  so  hard  up  that  he  didn't 
know  which  way  to  turn  for  a  brass  farthing." 

"You  haven't  whacked 'it  about,  have  you — not  much, 
I  mean  ?  " 

"I  haven't,"  replied  Garden  ;  "  I  kept  it  uncommonly 
quiet,  I  can  tell  you,  but  some  kind  friend  or  other  has 
made  a  noise  over  it." 

"  How  do  you  know  ? "  asked  Jack. 

"  Haven't  you  seen  the  morning  papers?  " 

"No  ;  hadn't  the  heart  to  look." 

"Well,  it  is  stated  by  every  one  there  is  a  change  in 
the  Oxford  crew." 

"Really." 

"They  say  that  Harkaway  is  put  out.  The  reason  is 
not  generally  known,  but  it  is  supposed  he  had  over- 
trained." 

"Overtrained,"  cried  Jack  indignantly,  "why,  I  was 
never  in  better  fettle  in  my  life." 

He  took  up  a  poker  lying  in  the  grate,  and  striking  his 
muscular  arm  with  it,  broke  it  in  half  as  easily  as  if  it  had 
been  a  bit  of  glass. 

"  Of  course,  we  know  you  are  all  right, "  replied  Garden  ; 
"but  when  the  reporter  of  the  Times  called  upon  us  last 


1 68  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

night,  and  asked  to  see  me,  as  a  rumour  that  something 
wrong  had  got  afloat,  I  was  not  going  to  tell  him  thr 
real  truth." 

"What  did  you  tell  him?'' 

"Simply  that  we  were  obliged  to  change  Mr.  Hark- 
away,  and  that  probably  Mr.  Franklin  of  St.  Aldate's 
would  take  his  place. " 

"  You  gave  no  reason." 

"  Was  it  likely  I  was  going  to  give  those  newspaper 
fellows  your  whole  story,  and  enable  them  to  write  a 
column  upon  university  extravagance,  and  the  tendency 
of  young  men  at  Oxford  to  get  into  debt,  and  all  that  sort 
of  thing  ?  " 

"You're  a  good  fellow,  Tom,"  replied  Jack. 

"I  hope  so,  old  man.  I  try  to  be,"  answered  the 
captain  of  the  O.  U.  B.  C.,  looking  as  modest  as  a  young 
girl  who  has  not  had  her  first  kiss. 

"  How's  the  betting?  "  asked  Jack. 

"  Very  flattering  to  you." 

"How  do  you  mean ? " 

"I'll  tell  you.  We've  gone  down  to  two  to  one,  laid 
freely  against  us,  since  the  change,  and  it  isn't  a  pound 
to  a  pinch  of  snuff,  that  six  to  four  on  Cambridge  isn't  laid 
before  the  start." 

A  flush  of  pleasure  mantled  Jack's  face. 

"So  the  outsiders  think  something  of  me?"  he  asked. 

"  Rather  !  There  is  quite  a  wail  over  your  loss.  You 
are  supposed  to  be  seedy  ;  we  have  kept  the  real  thing 
dark.  Don't  get  riley  ;  old  Mo'  can't  be  blamed  for  want- 
ing his  money.  It's  business." 

"  Business  I  don't  like,"  growled  Jack. 

"Rather  blame  Kemp,  and  Davis,  and  Hunston." 

"  Perhaps,  but  Manasses  is  playing  his  own  game  very 
artfully,"  replied  Jack. 

"  My  dear  fellow,"  said  Garden,  "  I  have  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  money  is  the  great  thing  in  this  world." 

"So  have  I." 

"  What  do  people  say  about  a  man  ?  Either  he  is  a 
good  fellow  and  pays  his  way,  which  means  that  he  parts 
freely,  or  that  he  is  a  duffer  and  a  swindler,  which  means 
that  he  doesn't  part. " 

"Because  he  can't  very  often." 

"We  go  upon  a  basis  of  R,  M.  D,  or  ready  money 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 69 

down,  that's  the  thing  ;  and  now  I've  given  you  a  lecture 
on  the  advantage  of  having  heaps  of  coin  and  paying 
cash,  I'll  take  my  hook.  Bye  bye  ;  keep  up  your  pluck." 
"Never  fear,"  answered  Jack,  trying  to  look  jolly. 
"'Hope  you'll  win." 

"  Hope  so  too,  but  wouldn't  bet  on  it." 
Tom  Garden  took  his  leave,  and  left  Jack  the  picture  of 
misery. 

He  did  not  long  remain  so,  however,  for  he  was  startled, 
as  soon  as  he  reached  his  own  room,  by  hearing  that  a 
]ady  wanted  to  see  him. 

"  A  lady  to  see  me  !  "  he  cried.  "  Who  the  deuce  can 
it  be  ?  " 

In  order  to  solve  the  difficulty,  he  went  downstairs 
again. 

A  lady  was  standing  near  the  doorway,  her  face 
shrouded  in  a  thick  black  veil  made  of  Maltese  lace. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,"  said  Jack,  "  do  you  want  to  see 
me  ?  My  name  is  Harkaway." 

"  Have  you  forgotten  me?  "  replied  the  lady,  in  a  low, 
agitated  voice. 

Jack  started  as  he  heard  the  tones. 
He  knew  them  well. 
They  were  soft,  sweet,  melodious. 
'Miss  Manasses,  I  think,"  he  said  coldly. 
'You  used  to  call  me  Hilda,"  she  said,  with  her  eyes 
still  cast  down. 

'Allow  me  to  ask  you  one  question,"  said  Jack. 
'Certainly." 

'  Do  you  know  your  father  was  here  just  now  ?  " 
'  Yes. " 

'  Do  you  know  his  motive  for  calling  upon  me  ? " 
'Yes,"  she  replied  again,  timidly. 

'Then  let  me  tell  you,"  cried  Jack,  "  that  I  must  re- 
fuse to  hold  any  conversation  with  you." 

' '  Why  ?  "  she  asked,  raising  her  eyes  to  his  for  the  first 
time. 

"  Do  you  really  want  to  know  ?  " 

There  was  more  than  a  slight  tinge  of  sarcasm  in  his 
tone. 

This  seemed  to  fire  her,  and  she  replied  more  boldly— 
"You  think  me  unmaidenly  ;  you   fancy  that  I  have 
come  on  the  same  errand,  is  it  not  so  ?  " 


i  -j  o  JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  I  admit  it.  What  other  construction  can  I  put  on  your 
visit  ? "  he  said 

"You  do  not  know  me,  Mr.  Harkaway,"  she  cried, 
trembling  violently  either  with  passion  or  emotion. 

"  Possibly  not.'' 

"  I  am  not  the  woman  to  beg  for  any  man's  love.  Un- 
happily you  are  acquainted  with  my  secret.  I  do  love  you  ; 
it  is  an  admission  that  wrings  my  heart.  Let  us  forget  it 
for  ever." 

"Willingly,  as  far  as  I  am  concerned,"  replied  Jack, 
who,  nevertheless,  could  not  help  feeling  some  compas- 
sion for  the  lovely  girl  before  him. 

"Shall  I  tell  you  why  I  am  here?  "  she  continued. 

"If  you  please." 

"To  give  you  your  freedom." 

"  What  !  "  cried  Jack,  his  eyes  almost  starting  from  his 
head. 

"  I  have  some  money  of  my  own  ;  it  was  left  me  by 
an  uncle,"  she  went  on,  in  a  hurried  tone.  "  You  want  to 
row  to-day  ;  this  disappointment  and  confinement  are  kill- 
ing you.  Very  well.  I  have  paid  the  money  for  which 
my  father  holds  you  a  prisoner,  and  you  can  go  away  when 
you  like." 

A  sort  of  mist  swam  before  Jack's  eyes. 

He  did  not  expect  this. 

It  was  so  noble,  so  disinterested. 

He  could  scarcely  believe  that  what  he  heard  was  the 
truth. 

If  it  was  true,  he  would  have  time  to  get  to  Putney,  to 
replace  Franklin,  and  to  row  after  all. 

His  first  impulse  was  to  squeeze  Hilda  by  the  hand, 
leave  the  gaol,  jump  into  a  hansom,  tell  the  man  to  drive 
"  like  mad,"  and  be  off. 

Looking  at  his  watch,  he  saw  it  was  just  half-past  twelve. 

' '  Heaps  of  time,"  he  muttered  "They  don't  start  till 
four. " 

"Good-bye,  Mr.  Harkaway,"  said  Hilda,  softly. 

Her  voice  recalled  him  to  himself. 

"  How  can  I  thank  you,"  he  replied,  "for  your  nobk 
generosity?  " 

"  By  trying  to  think  less  unkindly  of  me  in  future." 

"I  ought  to  be  kicked  for  what  I  said  ;  I  deserve  it/' 
he  cried 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 7 1 

"Please  recollect  what  I  am  going  to  say,"  she  con- 
tinued ;  "  possibly  we  may  never  meet  again.  Beware  of 
three  men." 

' ' Their  names  ? " 

"They  are  called  Kemp,  Davis,  and  Hunston,  and  they 
have  sworn  to  ruin  you.  This  is  their  plot ;  my  father  is 
not  so  much  to  blame.  What  he  did  was  for  my  sake." 

"  I  knew  it,"  replied  Jack. 

"  Farewell  for  ever,"  said  Hilda. 

" No,"  cried  Jack  ;    "at  least  we  may  be  friends." 

"It  is  impossible.     We  cannot  meet  after  this." 

"  But  the  money  you  have  paid  for  me,  and  which  I 
owe  you  ? " 

"Is  a  gift  if  yon  will  accept  it,"  she  answered. 

"Will  you  not  incur  your  father's  displeasure?"  he 
asked. 

"  I  can  not  help  that.  It  was  a  matter  of  duty  with  me 
to  release  you  ;  I  have  done  so.  Good-morning.  Please 
let  me  go  now." 

Jack  involuntarily  raised  her  neatly-gloved  hand  to  his 
lips  and  kissed  it. 

"I  am  for  ever  your  debtor,"  he  said. 

She  smiled  incredulously. 

"You  will  soon  forget  me,"  she  exclaimed,  "and  per- 
haps I  shall  be  where  all  are  forgotten  before  long.  The 
grave  holds  few  friendships.  Once  more  farewell,  Mr. 
Harkaway." 

She  would  not  allow  him  to  say  any  more,  but  hurriedly 
left  the  room. 

He  stood  rooted  to  the  spot  like  one  in  a  dream. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE   RACE. 

IT  seemed  so  strange  to  Jack  that  he  should  be  able  to 
row  in  the  grand  race  after  all. 

In  order  to  make  sure,  he  summoned  one  of  the  officials 
of  the  prison,  and  asked  him  to  inquire  if  he  was  really  at 
liberty. 

The  official  returned  in  a  few  moments,  saying  that  he 


172  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

was  informed  an  order  had  come  up  from  the  sheriff  of 
Middlesex  to  say  that  the  money  was  paid. 

"You've  made  a  short  stay,  sir,"  concluded  the  warder. 
"Shall  you  go  at  once?  " 

"Yes,"  replied  Jack,  curtly. 

"  Ah  !  most  gents  do.  Would  you  like  to  be  shaved,  sir, 
before  you  start  ?  There's  a  nice  barber  round  the  corner, 
and  a  public  not  far  off,  if  you  prefer  a  drink." 

"Is  there?"  answered  Jack.  "Can  you  go  and  order 
me  a  rump  steak  and  a  pint  of  porter  ? " 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Quick,  then.  Get  what  you  like  for  yourself.  There's 
half-a-crown  for  you.  Come  for  me  when  it's  ready." 

The  warder  started,  and  Jack  walked  up  and  down  the 
yard. 

He  could  have  jumped  for  joy. 

The  only  drawback  to  his  happiness  was  that  he  owed 
his  liberty  to  Hilda. 

He  might  repay  her  the  money  some  day,  but  he  could 
never  repay  her  in  the  way  she  wanted. 

How  well  she  had  behaved,  and  how  differently  to  her 
father ! 

While  he  was  pacing  up  and  down,  a  well-known  voice 
exclaimed — 

"Ha  !  Mast'  Jack,  how  um  do,  sare?" 

Monday  stood  before  him. 

"Why,  you  enterprising  rascal,  how  did  you  find  me 
out  here  ?  "  cried  Jack,  shaking  the  black  by  the  hand. 

"Monday  him  come  up  to  see  the  big  race,  sare;  him 
save  um  money,  and  he  come." 

"Well?" 

"Him  go  to  Putney  and  ask  for  Mast'  Jack  ;  they  say 
him  ill.  Monday  shake  him  head,  and  then  Mist'  Garden 
him  say  Mist'  Harkaway  in  prison." 

"That's  true  enough,"  replied  Jack,  lookinground  upon 
the  high  walls  and  gloomy  buildings. 

They  had,  however,  lost  all  their  terror  for  him 
now. 

"Then,"  continued  Monday,  "Mist'  Garden  him  nice 
gentleman,  and  he  say  it  only  for  debt.  So  Monday  got 
twenty  pounds  him  saved  and  he  bring  to  Mist'  Jack  to 
get  him  out  of  um  prison." 

"You're  a  good-hearted  fellow,  Monday,"   said  Jack, 


JA CK  HARKAWAY  AT  O XFORD.  \ 7 3 

much  affected  at  this  proof  of  his  servant's  kindness. 
'  But  it  is  all  right  now — the  money's  paid." 

"Paid!"  replied  Monday.  "Mast'  Jack  going  away 
from  um  prison  ?  " 

"Yes,  directly." 

"And  going  to  row  in  the  big  race  ? " 

"  I  hope  so.     I'll  have  a  try  for  it,  anyhow." 

Monday  immediately  did  a  war-dance  in  the  exercise 
ground,  to  the  great  astonishment  of  the  prisoners. 

"  That  will  do,  Monday,"  said  Jack. 

"  Hurrah  !  Mast'  Jack,  we  lick  'em  yet,"  replied  Mon- 
day, joyfully,  grinning  all  over  his  face. 

"Go  outside  and  call  a  hansom.  I  shall  be  with  you 
directly,"  said  Jack. 

Monday  went  out,  and  presently  the  warder  returned, 
saying  the  steak  was  ready. 

Jack  felt  that  he  must  keep  himself  up,  though  he  had 
no  appetite. 

He  had  eaten  nothing  for  nearly  twenty-four  hours. 

"A  man  cannot  row  a  long  race  on  an  empty  stomach, 
or  directly  after  eating,"  he  thought.  "  It  would  be  best 
to  eat  at  once." 

The  steak  was  soon  consumed,  and,  jumping  into  the 
cab,  with  Monday  by  his  side,  he  said  to  the  driver — 

"Go  as  quickly  as  you  can  to  Putney.  Drive  like  mad. 
You  can  have  a  sovereign  for  your  trouble,  if  you  lose  no 
time." 

"Right,  sir,"  replied  the  man,  thinking  he  would  like 
such  a  fare  every  day. 

It  was  a  little  past  two  when  the  cab  drove  up  to  the 
hotel  where  the  Oxford  crew  were  staying. 

Telling  Monday  to  pay  the  driver,  Jack  sprang  out  and 
bounded  upstairs. 

The  crew  were  just  thinking  of  going  down  to  the  boat- 
house. 

Garden  was  giving  them  a  few  final  instructions. 

Jack  heard  him  say — 

"  Now  mind,  all  of  you,  that  you  don't  try  to  do  too 
much  at  first ;  don't  quicken  on  the  stroke  and  force  tha 
pace  ;  pull  well  through  the  water,  and  leave  the. rest  to 
the  coxswain  and  me." 

When  Jack  entered  the  room  a  general  exclamation  of 
"  Harkaway  !  "  broke  out 


1 74  JACK  HARKA  WA  Y  A  T  OXFORD. 

Had  a  ghost  made  its  appearance  amongst  them,  there 
could  not  have  been  more  surprise  exhibited. 

"  Can  it  be  you  ?  "  exclaimed  Garden.  ' '  We  thought 
you  were  laid  up  in  Limbo." 

"The  money's  paid,"  replied  Jack,  "and  here  \ 
am." 

"Can  you  row  ?     Are  you  fit?  "  asked  everybody. 

"Never  was  better,"  answered  Jack. 

Franklin  felt  some  disappointment  at  not  being  abla 
to  stay  in  the  boat,  but,  like  a  good-natnred,  gentlemanly 
fellow  as  he  was  he  did  not  show  it. 

"For  my  part,"  he  said,  "lam  delighted  to  see  Mr. 
Harkaway." 

' '  If  the  captain  wishes  to  retain  you,  my  dear  fellow," 
said  Jack,  "  I  shall  not  say  a  word." 

"  No,  no,"  was  the  general  cry  ;  "  we  must  have  Hark- 
away." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Garden.  "  He's  our  best  man.  I  don't 
say  it  out  of  disparagement  to  anybody,  but,  for  the  sake 
of  Oxford,  we  must  have  him.  Have  you  fed  ? " 

"Splendidly  ;  had  a  point  steak  only  an  hour  ago.  I. 
could  struggle  with  a  glass  of  beer,"  said  Jack. 

"  You  shall  have  it.  By  Jove  !  this  puts  new  pluck  into 
one,"  replied  Garden. 

The  crew  crowded  round  Jack  and  congratulated  him 
heartily. 

We  must  leave  them  while  they  are  getting  ready,  in 
order  to  visit  the  river  side,  which  presented  an  extraor- 
dinary spectacle. 

The  weather,  though  cold,  was  lovely. 

Vast  crowds  had  assembled  on  both  sides  of  the  river, 
all  along  the  course. 

It  was  difficult  to  say  whether  Barnes  or  Putney  was 
most  favoured  by  spectators. 

Ladies  in  broughams  and  carriages,  some  wearing 
Oxford,  others  wearing  Cambridge  colours,  had  taken  up 
favourable  positions. 

Gentlemen,  tradesmen,  clerks,  and  even  boys  were 
there  in  thousands. 

University  men  greeted  one  another  in  the  streets. 

About  three  a  rumour  began  to  circulate  that  Hark- 
away,  who  rowed  seven,  was  in  the  boat  again. 

This  was  ridiculed  by  most. 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 7  5 

But  some  averred  that  he  had  been  seen  in  the  boat- 
house  trying  his  stretcher. 

The  rumor  flew  to  Barnes,  where,  on  a  barge,  were 
standing  Davis  and  Kemp. 

A  bookmaker  came  up  and  said  to  Davis — 

"I  should  advise  you  to  hedge." 

"  Why  ?  "  asked  both  Davis  and  Kemp  in  a  breath. 

"You're  standing  Cambridge,  aren't  you?" 

"Yes." 

"Well,  Harkaway's  got  well,  and  he's  to  row  in  his  old 
place — number  seven." 

"  Tell  that  to  the  marines.  It  won't  do  for  able-bodied 
sailors  like  us,"  answered  Davis,  with  an  incredulous 
smile. 

"All  right.  I  only  tell  you  what  they  say.  The  news 
has  just  come  from  Putney,"  said  the  betting  man,  walk- 
ing away. 

"Tell  anyone  who  says  so  it's  a  confounded  lie.  We 
know  better  than  that,"  shouted  Kemp  after  him. 

"How  people  do  get  up  these  inventions,"  remarked 
Davis  to  his  friend. 

"Don't  they?  We  know  very  well  that  Harkaway  is 
tied  hand  and  foot  in  the  gaol.  It's  only  an  hour  since  I 
saw  old  Mo'  Manasses." 

"  Harkaway  row,  indeed  !     Not  he." 

"Not  much  chance,"  said  Kemp. 

They  both  laughed  at  the  stupidity  of  the  bare  idea. 

It  was  so  very  improbable  as  to  verge  on  the  impossible. 

They  were  satisfied. 

It  was  not  likely  they  were  going  to  change  a  halfpenny 
on  their  books. 

They  stood  to  win  largely  by  the  triumph  of  Cambridge, 
which  in  the  absence  of  Harkaway,  they  considered  a 
certainty  for  the  rival  university. 

They  would  also  lose  very  heavily,  but  that  did  not 
trouble  them,  as  they  fancied  they  were  on  the  right  side. 

The  pulses  of  the  spectators  beat  quicker  as  the  hour 
of  four  approached. 

In  a  short  time  it  would  be  all  over. 

The  water  Derby  for  that  year  would  have  been  lost 
and  won. 

Flags  of  the  gayest  colours  floated  from  ali  possible 
ooints. 


1 76  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

The  sides  of  the  river  and  the  bridges  were  black  with 
human  beings. 

By  three  o'clock  the  Thames  police  had  cleared  the 
course. 

The  steamers  allowed  to  accompany  the  race,  includ- 
ing the  umpire's  boat  and  that  of  the  press,  had  got  their 
steam  up  and  were  lying  behind  the  aqueduct. 

As  the  time  for  the  start  approached  the  wildest 
enthusiasm  prevailed. 

A  change  had  taken  place  in  the  betting,  which  was 
now  even. 

The  Oxford  crew  were  the  first  to  take  the  water,  and 
were  well  cheered. 

A  few  minutes  afterwards  Cambridge  appeared  and 
were  also  received  with  cheers  of  a  deafening  description. 

Tom  Garden  won  the  toss,  and  selected  the  Middle- 
sex station. 

Exactly  at  ten  minutes  past  four  an  excellent  start  was 
made. 

Cambridge  dashed  off  with  the  lead  in  a  most  plucky 
manner. 

They  were  rowing  forty-six  strokes  a  minute,  which 
was  a  tremendous  pace  to  go  at. 

And  they  looked  like  staying,  for  a  finer  set  of  men, 
though  apparently,  in  the  eyes  of  good  judges,  a  little 
overtrained,  could  not  be  wished  for. 

Tom  Garden  only  pulled  forty-two  per  minute,  but  it 
was  a  long,  telling,  powerful  stroke. 

At  the  "Duke's  Head."  and  past  Simmons'  boat-house, 
the  Cantabs  kept  the  lead. 

It  was  estimated  that  they  were  more  than  half  a  length 
ahead. 

They  increased  this  going  up  the  Reach,  and  the  shouts 
of  "Cambridge!  Cambridge!"  were  deafening  and 
continuous. 

At  the  Point  they  continued  to  lead,  and  drew  clear. 

The  Oxford  coxswain  cleverly  avoided  their  wash,  and 
steering  splendidly,  did  not  show  by  the  movement  of  a 
muscle  of  his  face  that  he  was  annoyed  at  being  behind. 

Suddenly  he  said — 

"Now,  my  lads,  spurt  her!  send  her  along  !  That's 
your  style  !  " 

Garden  rowing  stroke,  and  Harkaway  seven,  laid  them 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 7  7 

selves  down  to  their  work,  like  the  broad-backed  giants 
they  were. 

The  stroke  quickened  into  forty-four  a  minute,  and  the 
boat,  answering  well  to  the  call,  forged  ahead. 

This  spurt  was  answered  by  their  opponents,  and  a 
ding-dong  race  ensued,  the  Oxford  overlapping  the  Cam- 
bridge, who  were  getting  a  little  wild. 

Now  the  steerer  of  the  Cantabs  endeavoured  to  take  the 
Oxford  water,  but  fearing  a  foul,  which  was  imminent,  he 
gave  up  the  intention. 

It  was  noticed  that  he  began  to  steer  badly,  as  if  he  was 
getting  nervous. 

Norman,  however,  the  Oxford  coxswain,  was  as  cool  as 
a  cucumber  in  July. 

Instead  of  shooting  in  for  the  dummy  at  Hammersmith, 
Cambridge  kept  the  middle  of  the  river. 

This  was  a  mistake. 

Garden  crept  up  at  the  "  Crab  Tree,"  and  at  the  Soap 
Works  had  gained  a  material  advantage. 

It  was  clear  that  the  struggle  would  be  practically 
finished  at  Chiswick. 

Half  a  length  ahead  Cambridge  passed  under  Hammer- 
smith Bridge  in  eight  minutes  and  a  half. 

"Only  half  a  length,"  muttered  Norman. 

Tom  Garden  nodded,  and  setting  his  teeth  together, 
leant  over  his  stretcher  with  a  will. 

At  that  juncture  no  man  in  the  boat  was  doing  better 
work  than  Jack. 

He  seemed  to  lift  the  boat  every  time  he  pulled  his  oar 
through  the  water. 

Harvey  was  on  the  bridge,  and  he  cried  out — 

"  Bravo,  Jack  !     Stick  to  it  like  bricks,  old  boy  !  " 

The  Cambridge  crew  made  a  desperate  spurt,  and  still 
rowing  forty-six  strokes,  they  drew  themselves  clear. 

Slowly,  but  with  the  certainty  of  fate,  the  Oxonians 
collared  them. 

It  was  impossible  to  shake  them  off. 

At  the  bottom  of  Chiswick  Eyot  they  were  level. 

Once  more  a  ding-dong  race  ensued,  which  drove  the 
crowd  at  this  point  wild  with  excitement. 

' '  Spurt  her  again  !  "  said  Norman.  ' '  Now  or  never,  Tom. 
£jft  her,  Oxford.  Bravo !  well  done,  stroke  and  seven.  Stick 
10  them.  Oh  !  well  rowed,  well  rowed,  indeed,  seven  !  " 
12 


1 78  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Norman  declared  afterwards  that  he  had  never  before 
seen  such  splendid  rowing  as  Jack's. 

The  muscles  on  his  arms  stood  out  like  tightened  cords. 

He  moved  backwards  and  forwards  like  a  machine. 

And  such  a  machine  ! 

He  was  equal  to  three  men. 

The  treatment  he  had  received  from  his  enemies 
seemed  to  lend  him  supernatural  strength. 

At  last  Tom  Garden's  length  of  stroke,  and  the  gal- 
lant efforts  of  Oxford,  told  in  their  favour. 

In  the  middle  of  the  Eyot  they  were  half  a  length  ahead. 

At  the  top  they  were  clear. 

"Easy,  all,"  said  Norman,  not  wishing  to  distress  his 
men. 

The  Cambridge  forty-six  had  come  down  now  to  forty- 
two,  whilst  Oxford  rowed  forty  still,  keeping  the  lead 
without  apparent  exertion. 

The  two  styles  were  marked  now. 

Each  had  settled  down  to  their  work,  and  the  pace  was 
what  Norman  called  a  "stinger." 

Oxford  rowed  in  her  old  form,  sharp  off  the  chest,  like 
a  billiard  ball  from  a  cushion,  a  slow  massive  swing  for- 
ward, oars,  perfect  in  time  and  feather,  dropped  into  the 
water  like  hammers  and  whipped  clean  through,  while 
the  water  covered  no  more  than  the  blades. 

Cambridge,  on  the  other  hand,  were  dead  in  recovering 
from  the  chest,  with  a  hurried  swing  forward,  blade 
rather  deep,  and  drag  through  the  water. 

Davis  was  looking  through  a  field-glass. 

His  hand  fell,  and  in  a  startled  voice  he  exclaimed — 

"Oxford  leads  !" 

"The  deuce  she  does!  That's  a  bad  job  !  Give  me 
the  glass,"  said  Kemp,  who  cared  more  for  his  dirty 
money  than  the  honour  of  the  university. 

"You're  right,"  he  continued  in  a  short  time.  "But 
who  on  earth  is  that  fellow  slogging  away  at  seven  ? " 

"I  can't  tell,"  replied  Davis,  absently. 

Swiftly  the  boats  crept  up,  though  it  seemed  an  age  to 
the  conspirators. 

Oxford  was  still  ahead,  and  holding  their  opponents 
well  in  hand. 

"By  heaven,  it's  Harkaway !  "  cried  Kemp,  as  the 
eight  passed  them. 


JA CK  HA RKA WAY  AT  OXFORD.  j 79 

"  Can't  be  !  "  answered  Davis.  "  Why,  my  dear  fellow, 
he's  locked  up." 

"I  tell  you  it  is.  Can't  you  see  him?  There  is  no 
mistaking  the  brute." 

"  How  did  he  get  out  ?  "  said  Davis. 

"How  can  I  tell  any  more  than  you?"  answered 
Kemp,  angrily. 

"It's  a  case  of  stump  with  us,  that's  all  I  know.  I'm 
in  deeper  than  I  care  about. " 

"  So  am  I.     You'll  have  to   lend  me  a  few  hundreds." 

"  See  you  hanged  first  !  "  said  Davis.  "You  shouldn't 
bet  if  you  can't  pay." 

While  this  amiable  pair  were  wrangling  together,  the 
race  was  being  rowed  out. 

Oxford  reached  the  "  Ship  "  at  Mortlake  clever  and  easy 
winners  by  six  lengths. 

It  was  a  splendid  race,  and  occupied  only  twenty-two 
minutes  six  seconds. 

"Hurrah!"  cried  Norman,  relaxing  for  the  first  time. 
"Backwater,  bow,  and  three.  Easy,  all." 

A  great  sob  burst  from  Jack,  as  his  head  drooped  a 
little. 

The  pace  had  been  tremendous,  and  it  had  told  upon 
him,  as  well  as  on  the  rest  of  the  crew. 

Tom  Garden  turned  to  him,  and  said — 

"  Harkaway,  I'm  obliged  to  you." 

"  What  for  ? "  asked  Jack,  faintly. 

"  You've  won  this  race." 

"Nonsense.  I'll  own  I'm  a  bit  baked;  but  I've  done 
no  more  than  the  rest  of  you,"  replied  Jack,  modestly. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
MOLE'S  DISCOVERY. 

WE  will  pass  over  the  cheers  of  the  crowd,  the  flatter- 
ing notices  in  the  papers. 

We  will  not  dwell  upon  the  champagne  cup  passed 
lovingly  from  hand  to  hand,  the  dinner  in  the  evening, 
or  the  enthusiasm  of  Oxford  on  the  return  of  her  heroes. 

We  say  nothing  about   the   congratulations  of  Jack's 


1 80  /A  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

friends,  the  delight  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bedington.  and  the 
raptures  of  little  Emily. 

It  is  enough  that  Jack  had  done  his  work,  and  done  it 
so  well  as  to  gain  the  applause  of  all. 

"Pass  your  examinations  as  well,  and  beat  your 
opponents  as  you  beat  Cambridge,  and  I  shall  be  more 
than  satisfied,"  said  his  father. 

"I'll  have  a  try,"  answered  Jack,  smiling. 

"And  avoid  the  fast  set,"  said  his  mother. 

"That's  more  difficult  than  winning  a  race, "  thought 
Jack. 

He  only  stopped  two  days  in  town. 

When  he  returned  to  Oxford,  he  found  everything  going 
on  very  much  as  usual. 

He  avoided  the  Corn  Market  for  fear  he  might  see 
Hilda. 

For  Moses  Manasses  he  now  cared  little,  as  the  debt 
was  paid. 

Harvey  came  into  his  rooms  after  breakfast,  and 
greeted  him  warmly. 

"You  did  that  well,  Jack.  I  saw  you  at  Hammer- 
smith. Splendid  race  just  about  there,"  he  exclaimed. 

"Cut  the  shop  and  tell  me  what's  the  news,"  answered 
Jack. 

"Mole's  got  a  new  sensation  on." 

"Has  he?     What's  that?" 

"Why,  he  was  walking  to  Iffley,  and  in  a  ditch  he 
found  a  piece  of  old  stone,  on  which  is  what  he  called  a 
Runic  inscription." 

"  How  did  he  get  into  the  ditch,  and  what's  Runic?" 
asked  Jack. 

"  He  says  he  was  botanising,"  replied  Harvey. 

"  Humbug  !     Tight,  you  mean,"  laughed  Jack. 

"  Not  at  all  unlikely.  Anyhow,  he  found  this  wonder- 
ful stone,  which  he  says  is  Runic,  and  that  means  relat- 
ing to  northern  antiquities." 

"  Oh  !  something  ancient." 

' '  Awfully.  It's  over  a  thousand  years  old,  he  swears. 
He's  taken  the  opinion  of  the  dons  upon  it,  and  it  is  to  be 
formally  presented  to  the  Bodleian." 

"  Where  is  it  ?     I  should  like  to  see  it." 

"AM  right  He's  left  it  in  my  rooms  ;  come  and  look 
at  it, "  replied  Harvey 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  \  8 1 

Jack  did  so,  and,  lying  on  the  table,  he  saw  something 
that  looked  like  a  piece  broken  off  an  old  tombstone. 

On  it  was  roughly  carved  these  words — 

"Drun.  Kasaf.  Iddler." 

A  peculiar  smile  stole  over  Jack's  countenance. 

"That's  Runic,  is  it  ?  "  he  cried. 

"So  they  all  say." 

"  What  a  lark  !  "  cried  Jack. 

"Why,  what  are  you  laughing  at?"  asked  Harvey, 
curiously. 

"One  night  last  term,"  said  Jack,  "  Dawson  and  I 
were  coming  home  from  Sandford  in  the  trap,  and  we 
very  nearly  ran  over  a  drunken  man  this  side  of  Iffley." 

"What  has  that  to  do  with  Mole?" 

"I  am  coming  to  it.  The  fellow  was  a  stonemason, 
and  he  had  his  tools  in  a  bag,  and  a  large  stone,  which 
one  of  our  wheels  broke  in  half." 

"I  begin  to  see,"  said  Harvey. 

"We  got  out,  put  him  in  the  ditch  to  keep  him  out  of 
harm's  way,  and  Dawson  said,  'Let's  write  something 
on  his  stone.'  " 

"  Did  you? " 

"  Yes,  I  did,"  replied  Jack.  "  This  is  the  very  identical 
stone.  I  wrote  what  you  see  on  it,  and  chucked  it  into 
the  ditch  after  him.  It  was  a  soft  sort  of  stone,  and  the 
chisel  did  it  easily." 

"  What  did  you  write?  " 

"Just  what  you  see  !  "  answered  Jack,  still  smiling. 

' '  But  what  does  it  mean  ?  I  can't  make  anything  out 
of  '  Drun.  Kasaf.  Iddler. ' " 

"  Read  it  differently,  and  leave  out  the  stops." 

Harvey  looked  at  it  again,  but  was  still  in  the  dark. 

"  Don't  you  see,  stupid  ?"  cried  Jack. 

"No,  bother  me  if  I  can,"  replied  Harvey,  scratching 
his  head. 

"Well,  I'll  be  another  Daniel.  Wasn't  it  Daniel  who 
read  the  writing  on  the  wall  ? " 

"Some  Scripture  swell.  Say  it  was  Daniel ;  it  doesn't 
matter. " 

"You  needn't  scratch  your  head,  Dick  Take 'em  as 
they  come,"  exclaimed  Jack. 

"Don't  rile  me.  Tell  me  what  the  Ru — what  is  it? — 
Runic  inscription  really  does  mean  ?  " 


182  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  Simply  '  Drunk  as  a  fiddler.'  Don't  you  see  ?  '  Drun. 
Kasaf.  Iddler,'  read  properly  will  make  '  drunk  as  a  fid- 
dler.'" 

Harvey  burst  into  a  roar  of  laughter. 

"  Mole's  sold  again,"  he  exclaimed. 

"  Wasn't  it  a  proper  thing  to  write  on  the  cove's  stone 
under  the  circs.? " 

' '  Of  course  it  was. " 

There  was  a  knock  at  the  door,  and  Mr.  Mole  came  in. 

"Ah!"  he  cried,  "looking  at  my  stone?  What  do 
you  think  of  it,  Harkaway  ?  " 

"Grand  discovery,  sir,"  replied  Jack. 

"  I  should  say  so.  They  will  make  me  a  fellow  of  the 
Society  of  Antiquaries ;  that  will  be  F.  S.  A.  Then  I 
should  like  to  belong  to  the  Philosophical  Society — 
F.  Ph.  S.  ;  also  the  Society  of  Arts— F.  S.  A.  In  fact,  it 
will  open  the  doors  of  all  the  learned  societies  to  me." 

"You  ought  to  add  F.  A.  S.  S.,  sir." 

"Why,  may  I  ask?  I  never  heard  of  it.  What  does 
it  mean  ? " 

"A  double  S,  sir,  used  to  spell  donkey,"  replied  Jack. 

"I  am  in  no  humour  for  chaff;  I  have  a  soul  above 
that.  Think  of  my  glorious  discovery.  How  it  carries 
the  mind  back  centuries,  when  the  inhabitants  of  this 
country  were  rude  and  barbarous  !  "  said  Mr.  Mole,  rub- 
bing his  hands. 

'  I'm  sorry  to  undeceive  you,  sir,  but  that  stone  is  no 
rel  c." 

:  Not  a  relic  ?  "  cried  Mole,  in  dismay. 
No,  Dawson  and  I  did  it." 
'Did  what?" 

Jack  told  him  what  he  had  related  to  Harvey,  and  ex- 
plained that  "Drun.  Kasaf.  Iddler."  meant  simply 
"Drunk  as  a  fiddler." 

Mole  turned  white,  red,  blue,  green,  and  yellow. 

He  gasped  for  breath,  he  reeled  in  his  chair,  and  nearly 
fainted. 

"Oh,  Lord!"  he  exclaimed.  "When  does  the  next 
train  start  for  Liverpool  ?  I  must  emigrate  ;  I  shall  be 
off  somewhere.  Why  was  I  born  ?  " 

"  To  make  people  laugh,  I  should  say,  sir, "  answered  Jack. 

"Get  me  a  Bradshaw.  Oxford  shall  know  me  no 
more,"  cried  the  unhappy  man. 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  \  83 

"Don't  take  on,  sir.  No  one  knows  the  secret  but 
Dawson,  Harvey,  and  I.  We  won't  split,"  said  Jack. 

"You  won't  really,"  replied  Mole,  brightening  up, 
"  on  the  word  of  a  man  ?  " 

Mr.  Mole  rose,  and  throwing  himself  on  Jack's  shoulder, 
wept  for  joy. 

"Why  those  weeps?"  cried  Jack,  adding,  "That  will 
do,  sir.  I  can't  stand  too  much  of  it.  Stash  it." 

Mole  reseated  himself. 

' '  I  will  keep  up  the  imposition,  and  may  yet  be  famous," 
he  said.  "  I  will  not  leave  Oxford,  which  is  so  dear  to 
me  ;  but  after  the  talking  monkey,  the  exposure  of  my 
valued  stone  as  a  sham  would  have  broken  my  heart." 

Mr.  Mole  went  away  considerably  crestfallen,  but 
taking  his  Runic  stone  with  him  nevertheless. 

He  did  not  present  it  to  the  Bodleian. 

It  remained  in  his  house,  and  provoked  keen  discussion 
among  the  dons  and  his  pupils  for  many  years  afterwards. 

Jack  kept  his  secret,  and  no  one  ever  learnt  the  true 
origin  of  the  ancient  relic,  as  it  was  called. 

Some  said  the  inscription  was  Chaldean,  others  that  it 
was  Syriac  ;  and  others  held  that  it  must  be  Phoenician. 

This  shows  how  easily  learned  men  may  be  deceived. 

Soon  after  this  affair  Fabian  Hall  returned  to  Oxford 
with  his  father. 

He  had  entirely  recovered  from  his  wound,  and  as  Jack 
was  glad  to  see  him,  they  were  often  together. 

Sometimes  they  played  cricket  in  Cowley  Marsh,  at 
others  they  took  a  gentle  canter  on  Bullingdon. 

The  elder  Mr.  Hall  was  highly  indignant  at  the  out- 
rage which  had  been  perpetrated  on  his  son. 

He  blamed  the  police  for  their  remissness  in  not  finding 
out  the  assassin. 

Although  the  affair  was  nearly  forgotten,  he  persisted 
in  offering  a  large  reward  for  the  discovery  of  the  would- 
be  murderer. 

"I  am  not  afraid  of  being  attacked  again,"  said  Fabian 
one  day,  as  he  and  Jack  were  taking  a  walk  in  the  coun- 
try, "because  it  was  you  the  fellow  intended  to  kill." 

"No  doubt  of  that,  but  I  don't  feel  nervous,"  answered 
Jack,  "though  I  am  glad  I  escaped." 

"  Have  you  ever  seen  the  one-armed  man  since  ? " 

"Yes,  once." 


184  JACK  HARKA  WA  Y  AT  OXFORD. 

"You  know  who  he  is? "  asked  Fabian. 

"  Perfectly  well  ;  an  old  enemy  of  mine,  named 
Hunston.  If  I  had  any  proof  that  he  was  the  man,  I 
would  put  the  police  on  his  track,  but  I  have  only  sus- 
picion. It  was  so  dark  at  the  time  I  could  not  swear  to 
him." 

"  Did  you  try  to  find  him  ? " 

"No.  His  time  will  come;  he  will  be  trying  some- 
thing on  again,  and  I'm  ready  for  him  now,"  replied  Jack. 

"In  what  way? " 

Jack  put  his  hand  irv  his  pocket,  and  produced  a  piece 
of  iron,  with  holes  fo\  -he  fingers  to  go  through. 

"This  fits  on  the  hand,"  he  said;  "it  is  called  h 
knuckle-duster.  If  I  were  attacked  again,  I  should  use  it. " 

"  What  a  formidable-looking  thing,"  said  Fabian;  "it 
would  smash  a  man's  skull  in,  wouldn't  it  ?  " 

"If  you  hit  hard  enough,"  replied  Jack,  with  a  laugh. 
"At  night  I  always  put  one  hand  in  my  pocket,  slip  my 
fingers  into  the  knuckle-duster,  and  I  am  ready  for  the 
villain." 

It  came  on  heavily  to  rain. 

"We  shall  get  wet,"  said  Fabian  ;  "can't  we  turn  in 
somewhere  ? " 

"There  is  a  small  wayside  pub.  a  little  higher  up," 
answered  Jack  ;  "  what  do  you  say  to  that  ? " 

"No,  thanks.  I  don't  like  public  houses  as  a  rule,  and 
I  must  not  get  wet,  so  I  will  go  back  to  college,  please  ; 
the  doctor  says  I  must  be  careful,"  replied  Fabian  Hall. 

"  Very  well,"  replied  Jack  ;  "you  shall  do  as  you  like. 
I  mean  to  turn  in  here." 

"Good-bye,"  said  Hall,  putting  up  his  umbrella,  and 
toddling  off  on  his  way  home. 

"Stroll  on,"  said  Jack,  who  had  not  gone  half  a  dozen 
paces  before  he  saw  Dawson  coming  along  at  a  good  four 
miles  an  hour." 

"  Hullo,  Dawson  !  "  he  cried. 

"  Doing  a  constitutional,  my  boy,"  cried  Dawson. 
"Got  cobwebs  in  the  brain.  Too  much  whisky  last 
night,  and  now,  when  I  take  a  ten-miler  for  my  health, 
it  comes  on  to  rain.  Like  my  beastly  luck. " 

"Turn  into  this  pub.  with  me,"  said  Jack. 

"Don't  mind  if  I  do.     Lead  the  way,"  replied  Dawson. 

Jack  was  delighted  to  have  met  with  a  companion. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  1 85 

In  a  few  minutes  they  reached  the  tavern,  and  entered. 

It  was  a  low-looking,  tumble-down  beer-shop,  with  a 
poor,  miserable,  weak-looking  landlady  behind  the  bar. 

"  Have  you  a  room  with  a  fire,  where  we  can  sit  down 
till  the  rain  is  over,  missis  ? "  asked  Jack. 

"There's  the  parlour  on  your  right,"  answered  the 
landlady  in  a  wheezy  voice,  "you  can  go  in  there  if  you 
like  ;  there  are  some  gentlemen  there  already." 

"Bring  in  two  mugs  of  Oxford,  arid  there  is  sixpence," 
said  Jack. 

He  pushed  the  door  open,  and  found  himself  in  a  small 
room,  with  beer-stained  table  and  benches. 

A  thick  pall  of  tobacco-smoke  hung  over  the  narrow, 
ill-ventilated  apartment. 

Through  the  mist  Jack  made  out  the  forms  of  three  men 
sitting  round  the  fire. 

They  turned  their  heads  as  he  entered. 

One  was  saying — 

"  I  tell  you  he  has  beaten  us  at  every  turn.  Can't  we 
hit  upon  something  new  ?  Your  idea  is " 

"Hush  !  "  said  the  one  next  to  the  speaker. 

Jack  uttered  a  low  whistle. 

The  three  men  by  the  fire  were  Davis,  Kemp  and 
Hunston. 

That  they  were  talking  of  him  he  did  not  doubt. 

It  was  strange  that  he  should,  with  Sir  Sydney  Dawson, 
intrude  upon  them  in  such  a  place  and  at  such  a  time. 

His  first  impulse  was  to  retire. 

But,  after  a  moment's  consideration,  he  felt  ashamed  of 
such  a  course. 

The  landlady  brought  in  the  beer  and  placed  it  on  the 
table. 

Jack  took  a  seat,  as  did  Dawson,  who  was  rather  sur- 
prised. 

' '  Do  you  see  who  those  men  are  ?  "  he  whispered  hastily. 

"Yes,"  said  Jack,  coolly. 

"Are  you  not  afraid?  "  said  Sir  Sydney,  in  an  agitated 
manner. 

"Not  much.  I  never  saw  the  man  I  was  afraid  of  yet," 
said  Jack. 

He  proceeded  leisurely  to  fill  and  light  his  pipe. 

Then  he  sipped  his  ale,  and  stared  insolently  at  his 
three  enemies. 


186  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

THE    FIGHT    AT   THE    ROADSIDE    INN. 

As  Harkaway  turned  round  and  saw  Kemp,  Davis,  and 
Hunston  sitting  together  in  the  roadside  tavern  into  which 
he  and  his  friend,  Sir  Sydney  Dawson,  had  accidentally 
entered,  his  enemies  saw  him. 

The  recognition  was  mutual. 

It  seemed  like  going  into  an  hornets'  nest. 

The  odds  were  against  him,  and  in  spite  of  his  natural 
bravery  he  could  not  help  feeling  uncomfortable. 

Sir  Sydney,  however,  became  cool  and  radiant. 

"Gentlemen,"  he  said,  with  a  sarcastic  emphasis, 
' '  driven  by  stress  of  weather  to  take  refuge  in  an  hotel — 
I  think  I  may  dignify  this  place  of  refreshment  with  the 
title  of  hotel,  since  it  has  had  the  honour  to  receive  us — 
we  have  made  our  way  into  this  room,  which  we  wish  to 
keep  strictly  private  ;  therefore  you  will  at  once  see  the 
necessity  for  your  going  away." 

"Are  you  speaking  to  me?  "  asked  Davis,  with  an  in- 
solent stare. 

"  I  don't  know  you,"  answered  Sir  Sydney  ;  "but  my 
remark  was  decidedly  addressed  to  you  and  your  com' 
panions." 

"You  can  see  that  we  are  university  men  by  our  caps 
and  gowns,"  continued  Davis. 

"Two  of  you  are  so,  I  presume  ;  the  third  is  an  out- 
sider. I  mean  the  party  who  hasn't  his  proper  number 
of  limbs  ;  cove  with  one  arm,  in  fact, "answered  Dawson. 

"That  is  Hunston,"  whispered  Jack. 

"Isn't  Hunston  the  man  who  tried  to  kill  you  and  hurt 
Hall  ?  "  asked  Sir  Sydney,  in  the  same  tone. 

"Yes;  my  enemy;  the  fellow  who  is  in  league  with 
Kemp  and  Davis  to  do  me  all  the  harm  he  can ;  the 
man,  as  you  say,  who  tried  to  murder  me,  and  nearly 
killed  poor  Fabian  Hall." 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson  indulged  in  a  long  whistle. 

"Are  you  fond  of  music?"  inquired  Davis,  with  a 
smile. 

' '  What's  that  to  you  ?  "  was  the  reply. 


JA CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  187 

"Only  this  :  if  you  call  whistling  music  I  don't,  and  if 
you  want  to  do  it  again,  you  had  better  go  outside  and 
amuse  yourself." 

"Cheeky  beast !  "  exclaimed  Jack,  angrily. 

"  My  good  sir,"  replied  Sir  Sydney,  "  I  shall  continue 
to  amuse  myself  when  and  how  I  think  fit,  without  avail- 
ing myself  of  your  kind  advice.  If  you  do  not  like  my 
music,  you  can  go  somewhere  else,  as  I  told  you  just 
now.  Your  room  is  more  agreeable  than  your  company." 

"It  seems  to  me,"  said  Kemp,  chiming  in  with  the 
conversation,  "that  we  were  here  first." 

"  What  of  that  ?" 

"  It  gives  us  a  right  and  title  to  the  room." 

"Which  I  dispute." 

"Dispute  it  as  much  as  you  like,"  continued  Kemp. 
"  We  are  here,  and  we  mean  to  stop." 

"Indeed!" 

"If  anyone  goes,  it  will  be  your  friend  Mr.  Harkaway 
and  yourself." 

"On  any  other  occasion  I  should  agree  with  you,  be- 
cause we  object  to  the  company  of  blacklegs  and  mur- 
derers," replied  Davvson,  calmly. 

Hunston  trembled  visibly  under  his  dark  complexion. 

Kemp  and  Davis  were  livid  with  rage,  and  bit  their  lips 
with  annoyance. 

' '  You  shall  answer  for  this  language, "  exclaimed 
Kemp. 

"I  will  horsewhip  you  within  an  inch  of  your  life," 
exclaimed  Davis. 

As  for  Hunston,  he  leant  over  the  fire  and  said  nothing. 

But  the  fingers  of  his  remaining  hand  twitched  nerv- 
ously, and  his  lips  were  screwed  tightly  together. 

He  knew  he  was  not  much  use  in  a  fight. 

The  cruel,  but  well-deserved  shot  delivered  by  Harka- 
way, which  had  deprived  him  of  his  arm,  had  prevented 
him  from  being  a  match  in  a  fair  stand-up  battle  with  any 
man. 

All  he  could  do  was  to  stab  in  the  dark. 

That  was  his  only  resource.         .  . 

Nor  did  he  shrink  from  the  commission  of  crime  to 
gratify  his  passion  for  revenge  upon  Jack,  which  had 
existed  for  such  a  long  time  in  his  cowardly  mind. 

"My  good  men,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney,  "  it  comes  to 


1 88  JACK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

this — if  you  don't  go  out  of  this  room,  I  shall  be  com- 
pelled to  make  you." 

No  one  stirred. 

"  Make  an  exception  in  Mr.  Hunston's  favour?  "  put  in 
Jack.  "I  want  to  have  a  word  or  two  with  him.  1 
shan't  be  happy  if  I  don't." 

' '  By  all  means.  Let  the  confederate  blacklegs  retire, 
and  the  would-be  murderer  remain,"  replied  Sir  Sydney, 
lighting  a  cigar. 

"This  is  too  much,"  cried  Davis,  furiously.     "We  are 

two  to  two,  for  a  one-armed  man  does  not  count " 

'Unless  he  has  a  knife,"  said  Jack 
'  Anyhow,  we  will  fight  before  we  go." 
'As  you  please,"  answered  Dawson. 
'  What  do  you  say,  Kemp  ? "  said  Davis. 
'I'm   game    for   any  mortal   thing,"   replied   Kemp; 
"  the  fact  is  I  can't  stand  this  man's  insults." 

"Go  away  then.  You  have  the  remedy  in  your  own 
hands,"  said  Jack. 

"Not  for  you  or  anybody  like  you." 

Hunston  got  up  from  his  chair. 

He  faced  Sir  Sydney  Dawson  and  Harkaway. 

There  was  a  sullen  scowl  upon  his  brow. 

A  murderous  expression  sat  upon  his  hang-dog  face. 

"Look  here,"  he  exclaimed,  "I  don't  care  for  any- 
body or  anything,  that's  my  state  of  mind.  Don't  any  ot 
you  rile  me  further,  for  I've  got  a  revolver  in  my  pocket, 
and  when  I'm  overriled,  I'm  apt  to  go  on  the  shoot." 

"On  or  off  the  shoot,  I'm  not  afraid  of  you,"  replied 
Jack. 

"Clear  out,"  continued  Hunston. 

Neither  of  the  two  friends  moved. 

Hunston's  hand  sought  his  pocket,  and  he  produced  a 
pistol. 

It  had  seven  chambers. 

A  patent  seven-chambered  central  fire  revolver  is  not 
the  thing  to  be  laughed  at 

"Clear  out,"  he  exclaimed  again. 

Taking  up  a  pint  pewter  pot  Jack  threw  it  at  Hunston, 
and  succeeded  in  hitting  him  on  the  arm. 

The  pistol  fell  to  the  ground  without  exploding. 

In  an  instant  Harkaway  and  Dawson  precipitated  them- 
selves upon  Kemp  and  Davis, 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  i  i.,j 

A  short  struggle  ensued. 

Blows  were  freely  given  and  exchanged. 

At  length  Kemp  and  Davis  were  lying  on  their  backs 
in  the  passage. 

Harkaway  and  his  friend  were  masters  of  the  field. 

Hunston  had  retreated,  picking  up  his  revolver,  and 
joined  his  friends  outside. 

Kicking  the  door  to,  Sir  Sydney  exclaimed,  with  a 
laugh — 

"  That  was  easily  managed." 

' '  We  told  them  what  they  had  to  expect  if  they  wouldn't 
go,"  answered  Jack. 

"The  brutes,"  cried  Dawson.  -'It's  a  wonder  to  me 
ho\V  such  fellows  are  allowed  to  stay  in  the  university." 

"  No  one  takes  the  trouble  to  expose  them  ;  that  is  how 
it  is." 

"Amongst  a  number  of  men  there  will  always  be  a  few 
black  sheep." 

"I  suppose  so,"  answered  Jack.  "They  are  not 
pleasant,  though." 

"There  we  agree,"  said  Sir  Sydney.  "What  do  you 
say  to  some  more  beer  after  our  tussle  ?  " 

"I'll  order  some,"  Jack  said,  going  to  the  door. 

He  tried  to  open  it,  but  in  vain. 

The  key  had  been  left  outside,  and  it  was  turned  in  the 
lock. 

Davis  and  his  companion  had  locked  them  in. 
'  We're  in  a  state  of  siege,"  said  Jack,  with  a  blank  look. 
;  How  is  that  ?  "  asked  Dawson. 
We're  locked  in." 
'Nonsense." 
'It's  a  fact,  though  ;  we  are." 

Sir  Sydney  looked  round  him,  and  saw  a  bell  rope. 

"  Hooroosh  !  "  he  cried.  "Here's  a  bell,  and  if  they 
won't  answer  that,  I  can  see  a  way  out  through  the 
window." 

He  rang  the  bell  violently. 

Once,  twice,  three  times. 

Nobody  came. 

"  This  is  a  rummy-go  state  of  things,"  he  said.  "Can 
I  not  take  mine  ease  at  mine  inn,  as  Falstaff  says,  with- 
out being  annoyed  in  this  way  ?  " 

He  went  to  the  door,  and  put  his  lips  to  the  keyhole. 


I90 


TA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 


"What  ho!"  he  exclaimed,  "within  there.  Beer,  I 
say.  Bring  me  the  foaming  goblet,  or  I'll  know  the 
reason  why.  What  ho,  varlets  !  " 

Then  turning  to  Jack,  he  continued — 

"That's  how  they  used  to  talk  to  them  in  the  olden 
times,  isn't  it?" 

"Never  having  lived  in  the  olden  times,  can't  say?" 
replied  Jack. 

"But  it  tells  you  so  in  books." 

"Bother  books,"  said  Jack.  "What's  to  be  done  to 
get  out  of  this  ? " 

As  he  spoke,  a  shot  was  fired  through  the  window. 

The  crashing  of  the  glass  mingled  with  the  noise  of  the 
explosion  and  the  cries  of  the  widow  woman  who  kept 
the  house. 

The  latter  seemed  to  be  expostulating  with  some  one. 

"  This  is  getting  hot,"  said  Jack,  with  a  grim  smile. 

"Too  hot  to  last,"  replied  Dawson,  uneasily. 

"  I  don't  see  the  fun  of  being  baited  like  a  rat  in  a  trap.' 

"Nor  I.  This  precious  Hunston  friend  of  yours  com 
bines  the  desperation  of  a  California  digger  with  the  plea^ 
ing  ferocity  of  a  Whitechapel  garotter. " 

"I  see  him,"  exclaimed  Jack. 

Suddenly  he  darted  to  the  window,  threw  it  up,  an^ 
jumped  into  the  road. 

There  was  a  sharp  but  brief  struggle. 

The  next  moment  Sir  Sydney  was  startled  by  a  fall  of  a 
heavy  body  at  his  feet. 

The  form  of  Hunston  lay  still  and  motionless. 

Before  he  could  recover  from  his  astonishment,  Jack 
reappeared,  and  climbed  into  the  room. 

He  closed  the  window  again  and  approached  the  fire- 
place. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this?  "  asked  Dawson.  "Do 
you  usually  chuck  people  about  in  this  way  ?  " 

"I  have  captured  a  prisoner,  that's  all." 

"Who  is  it?" 

"  Hunston." 

"Bravo,  our  side !  we've  got  the  man  'on  the  shoot 
when  he's  riled,'  that's  something.  What  shall  we  do 
with  him?  Roast  him  over  a  slow  fire,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 

"  Let  him  stay  where  he  is  for  the  present.  He  won't 
move  yet  awhile,  I'll  lay  my  life." 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  i  9 1 

"Why  not?" 

"Because  I  gave  him  a  sockdollager  under  the  ear, 
which  will  keep  him  quiet." 

"About  time  to  do  something  of  the  sort,  when  a  man 
goes  on  the  shoot,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 

"  Didn't  the  bullet  whistle  close  to  us?" 

"  Rather  too  close  to  be  pleasant." 

Hunston,  during  this  conversation,  breathed  heavily, 
but  did  not  show  any  signs  of  consciousness. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

HUNSTON'S    ESCAPE. 

THERE  was  no  sign  that  those  outside  were  willing  to 
open  the  door. 

On  the  contrary,  a  dead  silence  reigned,  which  seemed 
to  show  that  Kemp  and  Davis  had  prevailed  upon  the 
landlady  to  remain  quiet,  and  that  they  did  not  know 
Hunston  had  been  captured  by  Harkaway's  raid  through 
the  window,  which  was  a  mode  of  egress  of  which  they 
apparently  did  not  think. 

Probably  they  thought  Hunston  had  made  off. 

In  a  short  time  the  man  opened  his  eyes  and  staggered 
to  his  feet,  looking  wildly  about  him. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  me  ?  "  he  asked. 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson  was  about  to  speak,  when  Jack 
interrupted  him,  saying — 

"Leave  him  to  me,  please.     He's  my  prisoner." 

"Certainly,  if  you  wish  it." 

"You  and  I  are  old  enemies,  Mr.  Hunston,"  continued 
Jack. 

"That's  stale  news,"  replied  Hunston,  bitterly.  "In 
the  old  days,  when  I  had  both  my  arms,  you  would  not 
have  found  it  so  easy  to  throw  me  through  the  window 
as  you  did  to-day.  But  you  were  always  a  coward !  " 

"I  think  not,"  answered  Jack.  "Anyhow,  you  were 
always  a  liar  and  a  coward  too  !  " 

"What's  your  game  ?  "  Hunston  inquired  impatiently. 

"I  mean  to  hand  you  over  to  the  police." 

"On  what  charge?" 


192  JACK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"That  of  stabbing  Mr.  Fabian  Hall." 

"  I  didn't  do  it,"  cried  Hunston. 

"You  will  have  to  prove  that  in  evidence  on  the  trial. 
I  shall  be  the  principal  witness  against  you." 

"Nonsense  ;  you  can't  convict." 

"I'll  have  a  try,  at  all  events,"  replied  Jack.  "Why 
do  you  keep  coming  continually  in  my  way?" 

Hunston  was  silent. 

"I  have  no  wish  to  hurt  you,"  continued  Jack.  "  Have 
you  no  means  of  getting  a  decent  living?  Must  you 
always  be  the  hired  servant  of  Kemp  and  Davis,  and  do 
their  dirty  work  ?  " 

"If  you  make  enemies  I  can't  help  their  running  you 
down,"  replied  Hunston. 

"Very  well.  When  we  meet  with  a  noxious  reptile, 
we  stamp  him  out,  and  that's  what  I'll  do  to  you,"  said 
Jack,  in  a  tone  of  decision. 

"I  dare  say  you  would  like  to  do  it,  but  you  can't. 
You  have  no  proof.  I  am  a  man  of  the  world,  and  know 
my  way  about  as  well  as  most  people.  You  can't  frighten 
me  as  you  would  a  child." 

It  was  growing  dark,  and  the  embers  in  the  grate  burned 
with  a  dull  red  glare,  casting  weird  shadows  upon  the 
wall  and  floor. 

Jack's  mind  was  carried  back  to  his  schooldays,  and  to 
the  time  when  he,  Hunston,  Harvey,  and  Maple,  were, 
with  Mr.  Mole,  cast  upon  a  desert  island. 

"  If  I  were  to  allow  you  to  go,"  said  he,  "  would  you 
promise  to  let  me  alone  in  future,  and  try  to  be  a  re- 
spectable member  of  society  ?  Have  I  ever  done  you  any 
real  harm  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"When?"  asked  Jack. 

"Oh,  lots  of  times.  You  always  triumphed  over  me 
at  school.  And  look  at  this." 

He  pointed  to  the  stump  of  his  arm. 

"  Is  this  nothing  ?  " 

"All  your  own  fault.  Cry  a  go  now,  and  take  your 
hook.  I'll  lend  you  a  fiver  to  start  with,  if  you  want 
money,  and  that  is  more  than  your  friend  Kemp  would 
do  for  you." 

"  You  are  something  like  the  donkey  who  was  on  the 
bank  of  a  river,"  replied  Hunston. 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  \  93 

"  What  about  him  ?  " 

' '  He-saw  a  truss  of  hay  on  the  other  side,  and  there 
was  no  bridge  to  go  over  by,  and  he  could  not  swim,  yet 
he  wanted  the  hay.  What  did  he  do  ?  " 

"  I  give  it  up,"  answered  Jack. 

"  That's  just  what  the  other  stupid  ass  did,"  replied 
Hunston,  with  a  harsh  laugh,  "  and  it  is  what  you  will 
have  to  do  with  me.  You  know  it,  or  you  wouldn't  come 
soaping  me  over  to  keep  me  quiet." 

"You  are  an  ungrateful  vagabond!"  broke  in  Sir 
Sydney  Dawson,  "  and  if  I  were  Harkaway,  I  would 
lock  you  up,  and  chance  it." 

Hunston  stared  rudely  at  him. 

"Possibly  you  would,"  he  said  at  length. 

"Why  do  you  say  possibly  ?  " 

"Because  you  look  fool  enough  for  anything." 

"  By  Jove  !  it's  lucky  you  have  only  one  arm  !  "  cried 
Sir  Sydney.  "  If  you  had  two,  I'd  thrash  you  within  an 
inch  of  your  life. " 

"Or  get  a  thrashing  yourself,  which  is  much  more 
likely.  Just  get  out  of  the  way  of  that  door,  please." 

"What  for?" 

"You'll  see,  if  you  live  long  enough." 

As  he  spoke  he  rushed  at  the  door,  and  hit  the  lock  with 
his  foot,  throwing  all  his  force  into  the  shock,  so  that  the 
fastening,  which  was  never  a  very  good  one,  gave  way, 
and  the  door  flew  open. 

"That's  what  you  ought  to  have  done  at  first,"  he  said, 
with  a  chuckle. 

"  Stop  him  !  "  cried  Sir  Sydney. 

"What's  the  use  ?  "  said  Jack. 

"I  suppose  you  know  your  own  affairs  best,  but  if  it 
were  my  case,  I  would  soon  settle  a  fellow  like  that." 

"  How  ? — in  what  way?  "  said  Jack. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  exactly,"  replied  Sir  Sydney, 
looking  puzzled.  "  Lock  him  up,  I  suppose." 

"  Then  I  could  not  convict  him.  I  have  only  suspicion 
to  go  upon,  and  no  witnesses.  The  man  is  as  well  aware 
of  that  as  I  am,"  said  Jack. 

"What  did  you  threaten  him  for  then  ?  " 

"Out  of  bounce.  I  wanted  to  square  him,  because  I 
am  afraid  of  him." 

"So  am  I,"  answered  Sir  Sydney,  with  a  shudder.  "  I 
13 


1 94  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

never  saw  such  a  rascally  mug  in  my  life  as  that  fellow 
has.  Comeback  to  college." 

"I'm  ready." 

When  they  got  into  the  passage,  the  landlady  met  them 
with  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"What's  the  row  with  you,  mother?"  asked  Sir 
Sydney. 

"  Oh,  sir,"  sobbed  the  old  woman,  "  what  am  I  to  do  ? 
There's  the  door  broken,  and  some  glasses  smashed,  and 
the  gentlemen  have  had  a  sight  o'  beer,  and  gone  away 
without  paying  for  it." 

"  What's  that  to  do  with  us.  "There  is  sixpence  for 
what  we  had." 

"You  are  Oxford  gentlemen,  sir,  and  I'm  sure  you  will 
see  a  poor,  lone  widow  righted. " 

She  wiped  her  eyes  with  the  corner  of  her  handkerchief. 

The  appeal  was  irresistible. 

"Possibly  we  had  something  to  do  with  it,"  said  the 
free  and  open-hearted  baronet  ' '  There  is  half  a  sovereign 
for  you.  Will  that  do  ?  " 

"  Heaven  bless  you,  sir,  and  have  you  in  its  keeping. 
You're  the  real  gentleman,  you  are,  and  I'll  pray  for  you 
this  night.  May  the  saints  protect  you. " 

"You're  an  Irishwoman,  I  should  imagine,"  said  Jack. 

"Shure  I'm  that  same,  sir,  and  small  blame  to  me, 
seeing  I  was  born  in  the  County  Cork,  and  couldn't  help 
meself. " 

The  young  men  laughed,  and  wishing  her  good-day, 
walked  back  to  St  Aldate's. 

As  they  passed  the  "  Mitre,"  they  saw  Hunston  stand- 
ing in  the  doorway  talking  to  the  Duke  of  Woodstock. 

When  the  duke  and  Hunston  saw  they  were  perceived, 
they  hastily  withdrew  into  the  coffee-room. 

"Well,  I'll  be  shot  if  I  ever  saw  anything  like  that," 
said  Harkaway. 

"Nor  I.  There  is  some  mischief  in  the  wind  now,  I'll 
bet  a  new  hat,"  replied  Dawson. 

"The  duke  and  Hunston  together!  Wonders  will 
never  cease.  Ought  not  Woodstock  to  be  told  what  sort 
of  a  fellow  has  got  hold  of  him  ?  " 

"Tell  him  if  you  like." 

"I  will,  by  Jove!  "  exclaimed  Jack. 

"  If  you  do  you  will  get  no  thanks  for  it" 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD,  195 

''Why?" 

"  Because  it  is  some  plot  or  other." 

"I'll  risk  being  snubbed.     Come  in  with  me." 

"No,  thanks,"  replied  Sir  Sydney,  with  a  shrug  of  the 
shoulders.  ' '  I  don't  care  about  being  mixed  up  in  other 
people's  business.  You  know  the  old  saying  'Those  who 
in  quarrels  interpose,  must  often  wipe  a  bloody  nose.' 
Excuse  me,  will  you  ? " 

"All  right.  When  I  ask  you  to  do  anything  again, 
you  may  tell  me  of  it,"  replied  Jack,  flushing  angrily. 

Sir  Sydney  tucked  up  his  gown,  and  went  down  the 
Corn  Market  to  buy  something  in  a  shop,  where  there 
was  a  pretty  girl  with  whom  he  had  no  objection  to  flirt 
for  half  an  hour. 

Jack  strode  into  the  "Mitre,"  arching  his  big  broad 
back  like  an  angry  cat,  and  plunging  his  hands  deep  down 
into  his  breeches  pockets. 

The  sole  occupants  of  the  coffee-room  on  the  left-hand 
side  happened  at  that  moment  to  be  the  Duke  of  Wood- 
stock and  Hunston. 

"  You  are  sure  you  can  get  hold  of  her  ? "  said  the  duke 
earnestly,  as  Jack  crossed  the  threshold. 

"  Did  I  ever  say  I  could  do  a  thing  when  I  couldn't?" 
was  the  reply. 

Though  Jack  was  ashamed  of  listening  at  any  time,  he 
could  not  help  standing  still  for  a  moment. 

"I  wanted  a  shrewd  fellow  to  do  my  business,"  con- 
tinued Woodstock,  "and  that  is  why  I  spoke  to  Kemp 
about  the  matter.  Kemp  is  wather  unscwupulous,  you 
know,  and — aw — excuse  me — I  thought  if  any  one  could 
introduce — you  know — aw " 

' '  A  scoundrel,  my  lord  duke.  That's  what  you  wanted 
to  say,  is  it  not  ?  "  put  in  Hunston. 

"Aw,  yaas  ;  something  like  it.     Take  a  joke,  eh?" 

"It  is  no  joke.  I  am  an  outcast  from  society,  or,  as 
you  say,  Mr.  Kemp  would  not  have  introduced  me  to 
your  grace.  But  do  you  know  one  thing?  " 

"Aw — know  great  many  things,  but  may  not  know 
the  particular  thing,"  said  the  duke,  stroking  his  tawny 
moustache. 

"The  man  who  has  been  the  curse  of  my  life  is  Jack 
Harkaway." 

"  Indeed — aw  !     Good  wider,  Harkaway  ;  only  know 


1 96  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

him  as  a  good  wider.  Beat  my  animal ;  did,  indeed. 
Give  you  my  word.  He  beat  him  in — aw — vewy  good 
style  ;  fact,  indeed. " 

"You  will  have  nothing  to  grumble  at,  your  grace,  if 
you  trust  this  affair  to  me. " 

"  Don't  tell  Kemp.  Not  to  be  trusted,  Kemp.  Get  the 
girl  safe,  but  say  nothing  ;  aw — understand  ?  "  said  the 
duke. 

"Perfectly." 

"And  now,  suppose  you  are  like  the  rest  of  them — 
aw  ? " 

"  How's  that,  my  lord  ?  " 

"You  want — aw — a  little  on  account." 

"Money  is  always  useful,  and  I  should  not  object  to  a 
bit  on  account,  as  you  put  it,"  replied  Hunston. 

Jack  was  utterly  at  a  loss  to  make  head  or  tail  of  this 
conversation,  but  he  thought  it  time  to  step  forward. 

Who  the  girl  was,  what  Hunston  was  to  do  with  her, 
and  why  the  duke  should  pay  him  for  some  villany,  was 
a  mystery. 

Stepping  forward,  he  exclaimed — 

"Can  I  speak  to  you,  Woodstock?" 

The  duke  turned  round  abruptly,  and  placing  a  small 
gold  glass  in  his  eye,  stared  at  him  curiously. 

Jack  bit  his  lips  with  vexation. 
'  Mr.  Harkaway  of  St.   Aldate's,  I  think  ?  "  he  said 
'Yes." 

'  You  called  me,  aw — Woodstock,  I  think  ?  " 
'I  did" 

'Aw — pardon  me,  but  I'm  only  Woodstock  to  my 
friends.  Hope  you  will  be  good  enough  to  remember 
that  in  future — aw." 

"  I'll  call  you  anything  you  like,  from  Julius  Caesar  to 
Judias  Iscariot, "  replied  Jack,  impatiently,  chafing  under 
his  foppish  and  affected  manner,  "but  I  want  you  to 
listen  to  what  I  have  to  say. " 

"  Can't  you  put  it  in — aw — witing  ?  " 

"If  you  mean  writing,  I  cannot  I  want  to  warn  you 
against  the  man  you  are  with." 

"Thanks,"  replied  the  duke,  "butitis — aw — perfectly 
unnecessary.  It  is  indeed." 

"  He  is  a  villain." 

"  Yaas,  said  the  duke  with  a  pleasant  smile. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  197 

"  A  bigger  scoundrel  was  never  born  to  be  hung." 

4 '  Glad  to  hear  it,  I  am  sha w.  Vewy  glad  indeed — heard 
all  this  before  and  that's  the — aw — weason  I  have  sent  for 
him.  Gweat  villain,  is  he?" 

"I  have  told  you  so,"  replied  Jack. 

"Vewy  good,  indeed  ;  thank  you.  I  shall  not  hesitate 
to  employ  him  now.  Your  recommendation  goes  a  great 
way  ;  does  weally.  Thank  you,  Mr. — aw — bad  memory 
for  names." 

"  Then  you  do  not  mind  being  seen  with  a  fellow  of 
that  description,"  exclaimed  Jack. 

"  Not  in  the  least.  Oh,  deaw  no,  Mr. — aw — what's 
your  name.  Wather  like  it." 

Turning  on  his  heel  Jack  walked  away  indignantly. 

There  was  no  man  in  Oxford  who  could  snub  any  one 
with  such  ready  ease  as  the  Duke  of  Woodstock. 

Hunston's  derisive  laughter  grated  unpleasantly  in  his 
ears  as  he  left  the  "  Mitre,"  and  wended  his  way  moodily 
back  to  college. 

When  he  reached  his  rooms  he  wanted  some  tea,  but 
neither  his  scout  nor  Monday  was  to  be  found. 

"  It's  very  odd  that  I  can't  get  any  attendance,"  he 
growled. 

Putting  the  kettle  on  the  fire  himself,  he  sat  by  it  while 
it  boiled,  and  wondered  what  his  enemies  would  do  next. 

To  his  great  relief  Harvey  came  in. 

"  Hullo,  Dick  !  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  What  cheer,  my  hearty  ?  "  replied  Harvey. 

"  Nothing  very  great.     I've  been  upset." 

"Who  has  ventured  to  disturb  your highness's seren- 
ity ?  " 

"  First  of  all,  I  have  a  row  with  Kemp,  Davis  and  Hun- 
ston." 

' '  Hunston  ?  " 

"  Yes,  then  I  get  snubbed  by  the  Duke  of  Woodstock 
for  trying  to  do  him  a  kindness,  and  after  that  I  come  in 
to  tea,  and  can't  get  a  confounded  thing  done.  Neither 
Monday  nor  the  scout  is  to  be  seen." 

"  I  think  I  can  explain  Monday's  absence,"  said  Harvey. 

"  How?" 

"  A  man  told  me  he  saw  the  Black  Prince  in  the  Christ- 
Church  meadows,  and  that  he  was  talking  in  an  excited 
manner  to  Buster  and  that  wretch  of  mine,  Clinker.  I 


198  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFO RD. 

rather  fancy  they  want  to  do  him  some  harm,  and  I  came 
to  you  to  tell  you  what  my  supicions  were." 

"  Oh,  bother  Monday,  bother  everything.  If  he  can't 
take  his  own  part,  he  must  put  up  with  what  he  gets," 
replied  Jack. 

"  Won't  you  protect  your  pet  nigger?  " 

"  I  have  other  things  to  think  of." 

"  Come  with  me.  They  may  chuck  Monday  into 
the  river.  If  you  won't  protect  him,  I  will,"  exclaimed 
Harvey. 

Very  reluctantly  Jack  yielded  to  his  friend's  solicitations, 
and  leaving  his  tea  unmade,  went  through  the  inner  quad 
of  St.  Aldate's  to  the  broad  walk. 

Here  they  met  Mr.  Mole. 

"  Ha,  my  dear  boys  !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Mole.  "  I  am 
pleased  to  see  you.  In  my  busy,  and  I  may  say  fertile 
brain,  I  am  resolving  a  knotty  problem." 

"  So  am  I,  sir,"  replied  Jack. 

"  Name  it.      If  I  can  assist  you,  count  upon  my  help." 

"  Look  here,  sir.     It's  rather  difficult." 

"Never  mind  that.  Did  difficulties  frighten  Euclid? 
Name  it." 

"  If  my  cousin's  sixteenth  child  is  my  father's  own 
mother,  then  what  relation  does  St.  Paul's  Cathedral  bear 
to  the  Bank  of  England,  and  why  should  apples  be  more 
than  two  penny  in  Billingsgate  on  a  Sunday?" 

Mr.  Mole  smiled  a  ghastly  smile. 

"  That's  not  Euclid, "he  replied,  "neither is  it  Colenso. 
You  are  making  sport  of  me,  Harkaway." 

"  Not  I,  sir.     Wouldn't  do  such  a  thing,"  replied  Jack. 

"  Never  mind  ;  let  the  young  heart  be  blithe  and  gay. 
Whither  away  in  such  a  hurry  ?  " 

"  To  the  river,  sir.  Our  scouts  have  got  hold  of  Mon- 
day and  we  want  to  rescue  him,"  replied  Harvey. 

' '  Indeed  !  I  am  with  you  in  such  a  laudable  enterprise. 
Lead  on,  we  will  scatter  those  scouts  in  some  confusion." 

"  Make  haste,  sir,"  replied  Jack.  "  I  fancy  I  hear 
him. " 

"  Did  I  ever  fail  you  in  the  hour  of  danger  ?  "  asked  Mr. 
Mole. 

"  Never,  sir." 

"  Nor  will  I  now.  Lead  on  ;  I  repeat — lead  on.  Isaac 
Mole  never  yet  deserted  a  friend. " 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  199 

The  three  walked  hastily  towards  the  Isis. 
As  they  neared  the  river's  bank,  a  voice  raised  in  dis- 
was  distinctly  audible. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

THE    SCOUT'S    REVENGE. 

THE  two  scouts,  Buster  and  Clinker  might  have  h&d 
ffiany  differences  of  opinion. 

No  doubt  they  had. 

But  they  thoroughly  agreed  in  one  thing. 

This  was  their  hatred  and  detestation  of  Monday,  the 
faithful  black  whom  Jack  had  brought  with  him  from 
Abroad. 

They  had  been  longing  to  have  their  revenge  upon  him. 

They  waited  for  an  opportunity. 

It  came  at  last. 

Monday  went  for  a  walk  in  the  Christ-Church  meadows, 
?nd,  while  wandering  along  the  shady  banks  of  the  Cher^ 
well,  was  confronted  by  the  two  scouts,  arm  in  arm. 

"Ha!  Mr.  Buster,  how  um  do,  sare?"  exclaimed 
Monday. 

The  scout  favoured  him  with  a  scowl. 

"  I'm  not  going  to  pass  the  time  of  day  with  the  likes 
of  you,"  answered  Buster. 

"  No  more  ain't  I,"  exclaimed  Clinker,  with  a  con~ 
temptuous  glance. 

"  Go  on  um  way,  then  ;  there  plenty  room,"  replied 
Monday. 

"  We  shall  go  on  when  we  choose,  and  not  before,  ii  is 
not  our  rule  to  be  dictated  to  by  blacks." 

"  Blacks  in  this  country  ought  to  be  sweeping  cross- 
ings with  a  broom  ;  that's  all  they  are  fit  for,"  remarked 
Clinker,  with  scorn. 

"  You  come  to  Limbi.  There  you  look  as  funny  in 
your  white  skin  as  I  look  in  mine  over  here.  What  is  the 
difference,  sare?  Mans  is  all  the  same  under  um  skin," 
replied  Monday. 

"  Is  he  ?  That's  a  matter  of  opinion.  Do  you  remem- 
ber prodding  of  me  with  a  long  spear  thing  ?  "said  Buster 


200  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Monday  burst  out  laughing. 

"  You  get  into  um  coal  bunk,  and  then  you  come  out 
black  as  me,"  he  answered. 

"  I  wonder  if  water  would  do  him  any  good? "said 
Clinker,  looking  at  the  Cherwell. 

"  Might  try  a  wash,  anyhow,"  replied  Buster,  taking 
the  hint. 

"  Look  out  for  yourself,  Mr.  Blackamoor.  Can  you 
swim  ? "  continued  Clinker. 

"Swim?     What  um  mean?" 

"  You  are  going  into  that  river,  and  it  will  teach  you, 
I  hope,  not  to  run  so  cheeky  :n  future." 

"  An  Oxford  scout  is  a  gentleman,  and  not  to  be  hin- 
sulted  by  Moors  of  Venice,"  observed  Buster,  drawing 
himself  up  proudly,  and  thinking  dimly,  not  to  say 
vaguely,  of  some  representation  he  had  seen  of  Othello. 

"  Put  um  in  the  water  !  "  exclaimed  Monday  in  alarm. 
"  No,  um  won't.  Mind  um  eye,  dirty  English  thief  scout 
mans. " 

As  he  spoke  he  began  to  dance  about  in  an  excited 
manner. 

Though  he  might  have  been  an  adept  with  spears  and 
bows,  he  did  not  understand  the  noble  art  of  self-defence. 

Buster  and  Clinker  squared  up  to  him  with  the  right 
hand  well  up  under  the  chin,  and  the  left  ready  for 
hitting. 

"  Look  how  he  puts  up  his  dukes  !  "  said  Buster,  allud- 
ing to  the  unscientific  manner  in  which  Monday  doubled 
his  fists. 

"  There's  one  in  the  tater  trap  !  "  exclaimed  Clinker, 
making  Monday  s  teeth  rattle. 

"There's  ditto  on  the  conk;  reg'lar  stunning  nose- 
ender.  Let  him  have  it,  Mr.  Clinker." 

"  With  the  greatest  animosity,  Mr.  Buster,  sir.  There's 
a  toe-biter  for  the  black  scoundrel,"  answered  Clinker. 

Thus  encouraging  one  another,  they  pummelled  into 
Monday  until  his  face  began  to  assume  the  exaggerated 
proportions  of  an  ugly  and  ill-formed  turnip  or  mangold 
wurzel. 

Suddenly  abandoning  his  tactics,  Monday  ran  his  head 
into  Buster's  stomach,  depriving  that  somewhat  fat  indi- 
vidual of  what  little  wind  he  had  left. 

Then   he  placed  his  hand  under  his  right  thigh,   and 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  2  o  I 

with  a  jerk  which  would  have  delighted  a  Cornish  wrestler, 
threw  him  over  his  back  into  the  Cherwell. 

"  Help  !  help  !  "  cried  the  wretched  scout,  whose  ideas 
of  swimming  were  rather  imperfect. 

Clinker  was  astonished  at  this  unexpected  turn  of  affairs. 

He  could  scarcely  believe  the  evidence  of  his  senses. 

Running  to  the  bank,  he  peered  into  the  water. 

Buster  was  just  visible  above  the  surface. 

"Mr.  Buster,  sir,"  he  exclaimed,  "for  Heaven's  sake 
hold  yourself  up.  Be  brave,  sir ;  but  if  you  sink,  I  will 
be  a  witness  that  you  were  brutally  murdered." 

' '  Get  the  drags,  you  fool !  "  answered  Buster. 

"The  drags  !     Certainly  ;  but  I'm  a  witness " 

"  I'm  a-sinking  !  " 

"  I'll  have  him  hanged  for  your  murder;  I  will  indeed, 
Mr.  Buster.  And  much  as  I  shall  regret  you,  sir,"  con- 
tinued Clinker,  "  I  will  undertake  the  care  of  two  of  the 
bests  sets  of  rooms  you've  got." 

' '  Don't  stand  a-jawing.  I'm  going  fast.  Help  !  Help  !  " 
roared  Buster. 

"My  good  sir,  let  me  entreat  you  to  be  calm,"  said 
Clinker. 

"G-get  the  d-drags, "  said  Buster,  his  mouth  filling  with 
water. 

"Try  a  hymn.     It's  a  peaceful  thing  is  a  hymn." 

"  Hymns  b-be-h-hanged  !     Have  you  got  a  r-rope  ?  " 

"  For  shame,  sir.  You  should  die  in  peace.  Try  the 
first  verse  of  the  '  Christian  Soldier. '  Oh  !  what's  that  ? 
Dear  me  !  it's  all  over  with  both  of  us." 

Clinker's  canting  was  cut  short  by  Monday,  who 
gathered  himself  together  for  another  effort. 

Retiring  some  distance  he  took  a  run. 

Lifting  up  his  foot,  he  kicked  Clinker  cleanly  into  the 
Cherwell,  and  the  two  scouts  were  struggling  together  in 
the  river. 

A  grim  smile  overspread  Buster's  face  when  he  saw 
that  he  was  joined  by  Clinker. 

"I  like  the  black  for  that,"  he  thought. 

It  is  pleasant  to  have  a  companion  in  misfortune. 

The  bank  was  rather  steep,  but  a  fallen  tree  offered  a 
place  to  hold  on  by,  and  Clinker  in  his  desperation,  seized 
this. 

Buster,  with  a  last  effort,  grasped  his  brother  scout. 


202  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

They  raised  their  voices  and  roared  for  help. 

Monday  executed  a  war-dance  on  the  pathway. 

Then  he  sang  a  song  of  triumph. 

It  was  one  of  the  favorite  melodies  of  his  native  land 

At  this  juncture,  Jack  and  Harvey  arrived  on  the  scene 
of  action. 

"What's  all  this  about,  eh,  Monday?"  asked  Jack. 

"Um  beastly  scouts,  sir.  Gone  to  the  debbeL  All 
drown  in  the  water.  Ugh  !  Monday  kill  all  scouts  in 
Oxford ! " 

"Go  back  to  college  at  once.  Cut  and  run,  or  you 
will  get  into  trouble,"  exclaimed  Jack. 

Monday  hesitated. 

"Be  off  now,"  continued  Jack. 

Obeying  his  master,  Monday  ran  off,  and  Jack,  lean- 
ing over  the  bank,  gave  his  hand  to  the  discomfited  scouts, 
and  safely  landed  them. 

They  were  dripping  with  water. 

Their  appearance  resembled  that  of  drowned  rats. 

Shaking  with  cold  and  trembling  with  fear,  they  pre- 
sented a  ludicrous  appearance. 

"  You're  a  nice  couple  of  beauties,"  said  Jack.  "  What 
do  you  mean  by  allowing  a  poor  black  to  put  you  in  the 
river  ? " 

"No,  sir,  begging  your  pardon,"  said  Buster;  "we 
can't  admit  that." 

"  How  was  it  then  ?  " 

"We  fell  in,  sir." 

"Oh,  did  you  ?  That's  funny,"  replied  Jack,  with  dif- 
ficulty refraining  from  laughing. 

"I  happeal  to  Mr.  Clinker,  sir,  if  we  did  not  fall  in. 
He  would  scorn  a  huntruth,  sir,"  continued  Buster. 

"It  don't  matter,  nothing  don't  matter  now,"  sighed 
Clinker.  "I've  been  and  gone  and  got  kicked  into  the 
Cherwell  by  a  savage  heathen,  and  I  shall  never  hold 
hup  my  head  no  more." 

"Come  along  and  change  your  things,"  whispered 
Buster.  "  Don't  let  on  like  tha't,  o,  we  shall  be  chaffed 
through  the  college.  It's  all  a  bit  if  the  other  scouts  get 
hold  of  it. " 

Clinker  took  his  friend's  arm,  and  they  walked  quickly 
away  together. 

Jack  and  Harvey  were  muc   -paused. 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  2  03 

"  I  don't  think  they  had  the  best  of  Monday  that  jour- 
ney," said  Jack. 

"Perhaps  they  will  let  him  alone  in  future.  Wasn't 
Buster  a  study  ?  As  for  Clinker,  his  heart  seemed  broken, " 
answered  Harvey. 

"It's  nearly  time  for  hall,"  said  Jack,  looking  at  his 
watch. 

"Yes,"  said  Harvey,  "  let's  make  haste  back." 

"  I  want  to  write  half  a  dozen  lines  first.  I'll  meet 
you  in  hall.  Good-bye  for  the  present,"  said  Jack. 

They  parted,  and  Jack  wrote  his  letter. 

"Take  this  to  the  post,  Monday,"  he  said,  as  Buster 
had  not  shown  up. 

"Yes,  sare,"  answered  Monday,  who  was  on  his  best 
behaviour  at  all  times,  when  in  the  presence  of  his  master. 

"  Take  the  Bishop  with  you.  Why,  where  is  Soapy 
Sam  ?  A  run  will  do  him  good,  but  I  don't  see  the 


te  looked  round  for  the  monkey,  who  was  not  to  be 
seen. 

"The  monkey,  him  run  out,  sare,  Monday  think." 

"  What  makes  you  think  so  ?  " 

"Cos  when  me  come  back,  the  door  open." 

"What  a  nuisance!  he's  up  to  so  many  tricks,  you 
can't  tell  where  he  will  go,  or  what  he  will  do.  Never 
mind.  Cut  off  to  the  post.  Recollect  too,  that  I  have  a 
wine  to-night,  and  both  you  and  Buster  will  have  to  make 
yourselves  handy.  My  friends  are  coming  at  eight. 
You  took  all  the  cards  out,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"Yes,  sare,  and  the  wine,  him  all  come,"  replied  Mon- 
day. 

"That  will  do  then.     Cut  it !  " 

Jack  went  to  hall,  wondering  what  on  earth  had  become 
of  the  monkey,  and  what  mischief  would  result  from  his 
escape. 

That  evening  he  gave  his  first  wine. 

As  a  freshman  in  his  first  term,  he  could  not  give  a 
wine  party,  but  now  he  was  out  of  training  and  in  his 
second  term,  he  resolved  to  do  the  thing  in  style,  and  re- 
turn the  hospitality  of  those  friends  who  had  invited  him 
during  his  early  residence  in  the  university. 


204  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

CHAPTER  XXXIL 

SOAPY   SAM    IS    UP  TO    HIS    TRICKS. 

DINNER  in  hall  proceeded  very  satisfactorily  until  it  was 
half  over. 

At  the  dean's  table,  at  the  upper  end  of  St  Aldate's 
Hall,  was  an  excellent  leg  of  mutton. 

Suddenly  something  jumped  on  to  the  back  of  the 
dean's  chair. 

It  jumped  over  plates  and  dishes,  and  seizing  the 
mutton,  bore  it  away  in  triumph. 

Mr.  Scraper,  the  unpopular  tutor,  who  was  screwed  up 
in  Jack's  first  term,  saw  the  daring  theft. 

"  It  is  a  monkey  !  "  he  exclaimed. 

' '  Who  does  the  animal  belong  to  !  "  inquired  the  dean. 

"Mr.  Harkaway,  I  believe,  sir." 

"Dear  me  !  this  is  very  improper.  I  remember  now. 
The  creature  once  appeared  in  chapel,  and  burlesqued 
the  pulpit  with  his  presence." 

"  I  should  expel  him  from  the  university,  sir,"  said  a 
tutor. 

"Rusticate  him  for  a  year,"  remarked  another  don. 

"  Shy  something  at  him,"  suggested  a  young  bachelor 
of  arts. 

The  suggestion  of  the  B.  A.  was  received  with  acclam- 
ation. 

There  was  no  dearth  of  provisions. 

Yet  the  loss  of  the  leg  of  mutton  seemed  a  sacrilege 
under  the  circumstances. 

"By  Jove,  Harkaway!"  said  Sir  Sydney  across  the 
table  at  the  lower  end  of  the  hall,  where  they  sat 
' '  There's  a  row  on  up  there. " 

"  What  is  it  ?  " 

' '  The  Bishop's  collared  a  leg  of  mutton.  How  did  he 
get  in  ?  " 

"Confound  the  brute!"  said  Jack.  "I  missed  hirn, 
and  knew  he  would  turn  up  inconveniently  somewhere." 

"  Look  at  him  !  look  at  him  !  "  cried  a  dozen  voices. 

With  a  skill  of  which  only  a  monkey  could  be  capable, 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  2  05 

he  climbed  up  the  front  of  one  of  the  priceless  pictures  at 
the  end  of  the  hall. 

It  was  a  Vandyke. 

The  value  of  the  painting  was  immense,  and  grease 
from  the  meat  would  not  do  it  any  good. 

Great  excitement  prevailed. 

The  dons  stood  up  and  regarded  the  audacious  intruder 
with  curiosity  not  unmixed  with  indignation. 

Getting  on  the  top  of  the  frame,  the  Bishop  sat  still  and 
chattered  away  at  an  immense  rate. 

Evidently  he  thought  he  had  done  a  very  clever  thing. 

The  B.  A.  who  had  suggested  throwing  something  at 
him,  took  up  a  piece  of  household  bread  and  sent  it 
towards  the  monkey. 

In  an  instant  dozens  of  bits  of  bread  found  their  way 
from  all  parts  of  hall  to  Soapy  Sam. 

The  bread-shower  came  like  hail  round  his  head. 

But  it  descended  upon  the  heads  of  the  dean  and  his 
attendant  dons. 

"Gentlemen,  gentlemen  !  "  cried  the  dean.  " I  beg  of 
you  to  remember  where  you  are." 

Another  volley  of  bread  followed  this  speech. 

"The  paintings,  gentlemen,  are  of  priceless  value. 
They  are  historical  paintings,"  he  continued. 

A  shout  of  derisive  laughter  greeted  him. 

The  monkey  had  to  be  dislodged,  and  the  under- 
graduates meant  to  do  it. 

The  mutinous  spirit  in  St.  Aldate's  was  becoming 
aroused. 

During  his  residence  at  Oxford  the  Prince  of  Wales  had 
been  a  member  of  St.  Aldate's. 

The  monkey,  rinding  the  fire  rather  hotter  than  he  liked, 
moved  his  quarters  to  a  painting  representing  the  prince 
in  his  academical  robes. 

Again  the  shower  of  bread,  this  time  mingled  with 
potatoes,  rained  upon  the  picture. 

"Take  care  of  the  prince,  gentlemen,"  shouted  the 
dean. 

The  prince,  however,  tottered  in  his  frame. 

Loud  shouts  of  laughter  broke  from  many  a  throat 

The  monkey  was  becoming  angry. 

He  raised  the  leg  of  mutton  threateningly. 

"I  will  preserve  order,"  exclaimed  the  dean  furiously. 


206  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  Gentlemen,  hear  me.  I  will  have  discipline  main* 
tained,  or  I  will  perish  in  the  attempt." 

All  at  once  Soapy  Sam  let  the  mutton  fall. 

It  came  with  a  crash  on  the  head  of  the  dean,  who  sank 
down  under  the  table  half  stunned. 

"  He  has  perished  in  the  attempt,"  observed  Sir  Sydney. 
"We  shall  have  to  mourn  for  our  dean." 

In  a  moment,  however,  the  dean  reappeared. 

An  awful  frown  sat  on  his  classic  brow. 

Forgetful  of  his  dignity,  he  seized  the  leg  of  mutton 
and  threw  it  at  the  monkey. 

The  shot  was  a  bad  one. 

It  only  hit  the  prince  in  the  eye. 

Jack  came  to  the  rescue,  and  with  a  well-directed  piece 
of  bread,  struck  the  monkey  on  the  head. 

The  creature  instantly  left  his  perch,  and  made  his  exit 
through  the  half-open  door,  regaining  his  master's  rooms 
with  a  sagacity  peculiar  to  himself. 

"Mr.  Harka  way,  "exclaimed  the  dean,  recovering  him- 
self, "  you  are  indirectly  responsible  for  this  outrage  upon 
decency." 

"Very  sorry,  I'm  sure,  sir,"  replied  Jack. 

"  Sorrow  befits  the  occasion,  but  we  must  go  farther 
than  that.  The  monkey  must  be — a — discommonsed." 

He  smiled  slightly  at  the  joke. 

"  I  will  get  Mr.  Mole  to  take  care  of  him,  and  once  out 
of  the  precincts  of  the  college,  I  hope  you  will  consider 
justice  satisfied,"  said  Jack. 

"With  that  promise,  I  rest  content"  replied  the  dean. 
"Gentlemen,  proceed  with  your  dinner." 

Amid  much  laughter  and  merry  conversation  the  meal 
was  continued,  and  every  one  talked  about  Harkaway's 
monkey,  who  had  done  more  in  half  an  hour  to  upset  the 
college  authorities  and  render  them  ridiculous,  than  the 
fast  set  had  been  able  to  accomplish  in  three  years. 

The  monkey  was  sent  off  by  Monday  to  Mr.  Mole, 
who  volunteered  to  take  charge  of  it  until  Jack  could  find 
it  a  home. 

Then  the  wrath  of  the  dean  was  appeased. 

In  the  evening  all  Jack's  friends  turned  up  at  his  room. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  evening,  cigars  and  wine  had 
taken  an  effect  upon  some  of  the  guests. 

They    became    uproarious    and   wanted   to   burn    the 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  207 

statue  of  the  founder  which  stood  in  the  inner  quad  of  St. 
Aldate's. 

While  Jack  was  trying  to  prevent  any  excess,  Monday 
brought  him  a  message  that  Manasses,  the  Jew,  wanted 
to  see  him. 

To  Monday's  message  from  Manasses  Jack  replied — 

' '  Tell  him  I'm  engaged.     Can't  he  come  to-morrow  ?  " 

"Him  say,  sare,  he  not  keep  you  two  minit,"  replied 
Monday. 

Turning  to  his  friends,  Jack  exclaimed — 

"Excuse  me,  will  you,  you  fellows?  A  man  wants  to 
see  me." 

"Some  dun,  I'll  lay  odds,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney. 

"Smother  him.  Put  him  in  the  fountain.  Sit  upon 
him,"  cried  the  fast  men  in  chorus. 

"  If  it  is  a  dun,  I  will  deliver  him  into  your  hands," 
answered  Jack  ;  "only  let  me  see  him  first." 

In  the  outer  room  he  found  the  Jew  awaiting  him. 

By  the  light  of  a  solitary  candle  which  burned  on  the 
table,  Jack  saw  that  the  Israelite  was  sorely  troubled. 

There  was  a  haggard  expression  about  his  eyes,  and  a 
look  of  suffering  sat  upon  his  patriarchal  countenance. 

The  noise  of  revelry  in  the  adjoining  apartment  grated 
harshly  upon  his  ears. 

It  afforded  a  strange  contrast  to  the  sad  and  worn 
appearance  of  the  rich  Jew  of  the  Corn  Market. 

"  What  can  I  do  for  you,  Mr.  Manasses  ?  "  asked  Jack, 
a  little  coldly,  remembering  the  treatment  he  had  received 
on  the  day  of  the  boat-race. 

"Mr.  Harkaway,"  said  the  Jew,  "I  have  come  to  you, 
because  I  think  my  daughter  has  some  claim  upon  your 
gratitude." 

"  If  it  is  the  old  story,  I  have  nothing  to  say  to  you." 

"No,  no!  Holy  Abraham  !  that  dream  is  over,  and 
the  poor  girl  knows  it.  Yet  it  is  of  her  I  would  speak. " 

"  What  have  you  to  say  ?  "  demanded  Jack,  curiously. 

"Not  two  hours  ago  my  daughter  was  carried  off." 

"Carried  off  !  "  repeated  Jack,  in  surprise. 

"Yes.  I  have  received  information  from  one  who  was 
passing  at  the  time.  Hilda  went  for  a  walk.  In  the 
road  she  was  seized  by  a  man  who  had  only  one  arm.' 

"One  arm  !  "  cried  Jack,  in  astonishment. 

"  Ha  I  you   know   him.     Can  my   suspicions  be  cor- 


2  o8  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

rect ?"  exclaimed  the  Jew,  adding,  "Oh,  sir,  as  you  are 
a  Christian  gentleman,  restore  to  me  my  child  1  " 

Jack  was  silent. 

He  was  thinking  of  Hunston. 

He  was  thinking,  also,  of  the  conversation  he  had 
partially  overheard  between  the  Duke  of  Woodstock  and 
Hunston  in  the  coffee-room  of  the  "Mitre  Hotel,"  when 
he  had  been  so  curtly  dismissed. 

Could  the  duke  have  employed  Hunston  to  carry  off 
the  girl  ? 

Misconstruing  his  silence,  the  Jew  continued — 

"If  you  have  done  this  thing,  may  the  Lord  pardon 
and  forgive  you  your  sin,  for  I  never  can. " 

"  I  give  you  my  word,"  said  Jack,  "that  I  have  had 
nothing  to  do  with  it." 

"You  may  despise  her  because  she  was  a  Jewess,  and 
you  may  have  taken  advantage  of  her  weakness,  be- 
cause you  knew  that  she  loved  you." 

"  I  tell  you  you  are  mistaken." 

"She  was  my  ewe  lamb,  the  flower  of  our  flock,  and 
the  child  of  my  old  age,  Sir.  Think  of  her  misery  and 
my  wretchedness,"  pursued  the  Jew. 

"Tell  me  all  you  know,"  answered  Jack,  earnestly, 
"and  if  I  can  find  out  the  perpetrators  of  the  outrage,  I 
will." 

"  My  informant  saw  her  forced  into  a  carriage,  and  she 
was  quickly  driven  away  in  the  direction  of  Abingdon, 
before  he  could  interfere." 

"Was  the  one-armed  man  with  her?  " 

' '  He  was.  May  the  seven  plagues  of  Egypt  alight  upon 
his  accursed  head  ! " 

"  Leave  the  matter  in  my  hands,  but  at  the  same  time 
warn  the  police.  I  think  I  can  do  something  for  you," 
said  Jack. 

"My  money-bags  are  at  your  service.  I  will  add  an- 
other thousand  to  that  my  daughter  paid  for  you,  but 
bring  her  back  to  me  pure  as  she  went  away,"  exclaimed 
the  Jew,  clasping  his  hands. 

"I  don't  want  your  money.  An  idea  has  passed 
through  my  head  I  may  be  wrong,  but  I  think  I  can  find 
Hilda." 

"  How  ?  " 

"Because  I  know  the  one-armed  man  you  speak  about." 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  209 

"  Is  he  a  friend  of  yours  ? "  asked  the  Jew,  again  eye- 
ing him  suspiciously. 

"  On  the  contrary.  He  is  my  constant  and  determined 
enemy." 

"  Once  you  saved  her  life,  Mr.  Harkaway ;  this  time, 
do  more  than  that,  save  her  honour,  and  I  swear  to  you 
that  you  shall  be  my  heir  jointly  with  her.  I  swear  it  on 
the  laws  that  Moses  brought  down  from  the  mountain  of 
Sinai. " 

Jack  was  about  to  answer  him,  when  the  door  opened, 
and  a  crowd  of  undergraduates  broke  into  the  roon?. 

Some  carried  candles  and  lamps,  some  held  half-empty 
bottles  in  their  hands. 

All  were  noisy  and  uproarious,  ready  for  any  mischief 
and  full  of  devilment. 

Directly  they  saw  the  Jew,  they  raised  a  great  cry. 

"A  Jew  !  a  Jew  !"  cried  one. 

"  Moses  Manasses,  by  Jove  !  "  said  another. 

"  He  discounted  my  paper,"  exclaimed  a  third,  "  at 
seventy  per  cent." 

"  What  does  he  mean  by  disturbing  Harkaway's  wine? " 
said  a  young  lord.  "  Is  this  the  time  to  call  for  money, 
you  old  goat  ?  " 

"S'helpme  Heaven,"  cried  the  Jew,  talking  excitedly, 
"  I  never  asked  for  money.  He  owsh  me  none." 

"Out  with  him.  Bait  the  Jew,"  said  Sir  Sydney  Daw- 
son. 

"Hurrah!  A  Jew  bait!  a  Jew  bait !"  cried  a  dozen 
voices  in  chorus. 

' '  Shentlemen,  shentlemen,  what  would  you  do  ? "  asked 
the  Jew,  in  abject  terror. 

"Duck  him  in  the  fountain,"  cried  Lord  Tollington,  a 
youngster  of  nineteen  with  more  money  than  brains. 

A  dozen  willing  hands  seized  the  Jew. 

' '  Mister  Harkaway,  you  will  help"  me  !  "  said  Manasses, 
wildly  struggling  with  his  assailants. 

Jack  did  not  like  to  have  a  row  and  hit  his  guests  in  his 
own  rooms. 

He  did  not  know  what  to  do. 

As  the  Jew  was  being  dragged  to  the  staircase,  and  his 
plaintive  cries  reached  his  ears,  he  put  his  scruples  on  one 
side. 

Dashing  forward  he  hit  out  right  and  left. 


e  10  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Several  men  rolled  over. 

"I'm  with  you,  my  boy,"  said  a  voice  at  his  elbow. 

Looking  hastily  round,  he  saw  it  was  Tom  Garden. 

The  captain  was  looking  very  fierce  and  determined. 

"  Set  your  back  to  mine,"  he  exclaimed.  "  We'll  pull 
through.  They  are  all  drunk." 

"Right  you  are,"  replied  Jack. 

The  men  were  not  at  all  averse  to  a  fight,  and  they 
turned  against  Garden  and  Jack. 

The  Jew,  seeing  his  opportunity,  slipped  down,  and 
doubling  under  his  captors,  slipped  down  the  stairs  as  fast 
as  his  aged  limbs  would  permit  him. 

"Stole  away,  stole  away  !  Hark  for'ard.  Gone  away. 
Tally  ho  !  "  exclaimed  Lord  Tollington. 

"After  him,  my  boys,"  cried  Sir  Sydney,  who  was 
rather  unsteady  on  his  legs. 

In  an  instant,  the  men  who  had  been,  fighting  aban- 
doned that  amusement  and  tore  after  Manasses. 

They  caught  him  in  the  quad. 

"  Make  haste,"  said  Tom  Garden,  wiping  his  nose, 
which  was  bleeding. 

"  I'll  follow  you,"  replied  Jack,  putting  his  cold  knuck- 
les, in  his  left  eye,  which  was  beginning  to  swell  and 
burn. 

They  made  their  way  down  the  staircase  and  into  the 
quad. 

It  was  time. 

Manasses  was  again  struggling  in  the  midst  of  a  yelling 
mob  of  undergraduates. 

They  were  close  to  the  fountain. 

In  another  moment  he  would  have  been  plunged  into 
its  chilling  water. 

' '  Let  him  go, "  cried  Garden.  "  Do  you  call  yourselves 
men  ? " 

"You  shan't  do  it,"  said  Jack. 

Lord  Tollington  turned  round. 

"You  can't  stop  us,  my  dear  fellow,"  he  replied. 
"  We'll  just  duck  this  son  of  Israel,  and  then  we  will  come 
back  and  finish  your  wine." 

"  Oh,  Moses  !  oh,  Abraham,   Isaac  and  Jacob  !  what  a 
day  thish  ish,"  moaned  the  Jew.     "  Oh  !  Father  Abraham, 
save  me  from  the  hands  of  these  Philistines." 
"Pitch  in,"  said  Garden. 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  *\\ 

Jack  did  not  want  telling  twice. 

He  let  fly  at  the  man  nearest  him,  who  happened  to  be 
Lord  Tollington,  rolling  him  over  and  over. 

Another  and  another  followed. 

The  captain  was  equally  successful. 

Two  such  men  as  Jack  and  Garden  were  a  power  not 
to  be  despised. 

The  best  men  in  the  "  Varsity  eight,"  they  were  worth 
a  dozen  others. 

In  a  short  time  they  had  dispersed  their  assailants. 

Moses  Manasses  was  standing,  with  his  face  bruised 
and  his  clothes  torn,  bemoaning  his  fate. 

"Run,"  said  Jack,  "  run,  I  tell  you.  They'll  come  on 
again  directly.  You  don't  know  university  men  as  well 
as  I  do." 

Thus  advised  the  Jew  ran  for  his  life. 

He  made  his  escape. 

Lord  Tollington  picked  himself  up,  and  came  to  Jack  and 
Garden,  who  were  standing  together,  panting. 

"  Are  you  not  pretty  well  ashamed  of  yourself,  my 
lord  ?  "  said  Garden. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,"  answered  his  lordship.  "  It 
was  only  a  lark,  and  I  think  you  have  pummelled  me 
nicely." 

"  Serve  you  right." 

' '  I  shouldn't  have  cared  if  that  Jew  beast  had  not 
escaped. " 

"  Is  a  man  to  be  attacked  and  bullied,  half  killed,  in 
fact,  because  he  is  a  Jew  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"  Perhaps  some  men  like  Jews'  daughters;  I've  heard 
the  chaff,"  answered  Tollington. 

Jack's  temper  was  up. 

At  hearing  this,  he  rushed  upon  his  lordship,  put  his 
hand  under  his  thigh,  lifting  him  up,  bent  his  neck  back 
with  his  other  arm  till  he  nearly  broke  it,  and  pitched 
him  head  and  heels  into  the  fountain. 

"That  will  teach  you  to  keep  a  civil  tongue  in  your 
head,  my  boy,"  he  said,  coolly. 

His  lordship  struggled  in  the  water  for  some  time,  and 
got  out,  shaking  his  fist  at  Jack. 

"  You  shall  hear  from  me,"  he  said. 

"  As  soon  as  you  like." 

"Will  you  fight  a  duel?" 


212  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"Go  to  bed,  and  talk  in  the  morning,"  replied  Jack. 

"  I'll  challenge  you,  you  low  cad,"  continued  his  lord- 
ship. 

Jack  turned  contemptuously  on  his  heel,  and  taking 
Garden's  arm,  made  his  way  back  to  his  rooms. 

"What  did  he  mean  by  challenging  me?"  asked  he. 

"Why,  fighting  a  duel,"  said  Garden. 

"  Do  fellows  fight  duels  here?" 

"I  never  heard  of  it.  It  is  murder  if  you  kill  a  man 
in  a  duel,  that's  the  law  ;  but  you  can  go  over  to  France." 

"  He's  a  double-distilled  ass,"  said  Jack. 

"  So  I  think,"  replied  the  captain. 

Most  of  the  men  who  had  pursued  Manasses  returned 
to  their  rooms,  feeling  ashamed  of  themselves  and  not 
liking  to  return  to  the  wine. 

Those  who  had  remained  in  Harkaway's  rooms  were 
those  who  were  too  tipsy  to  join  in  the  Jew  bait. 

They  had  amused  themselves  in  various  congenial 
ways. 

One  found  a  clock  on  the  mantelpiece  which  was  in  the 
shape  of  a  hollow  globe. 

The  works  did  not  take  up  much  room,  so  he  filled  the 
hole  up  with  old  port. 

Another  discovered  three  pairs  of  dress  boots. 

Into  these  he,  with  drunken  gravity,  emptied  a  bottle 
of  claret. 

A  third  tried  to  see  how  much  wine  a  new  hat  would 
hold. 

While  a  fourth  went  into  the  scout's  room,  and  obtain- 
ing a  can  of  paraffin  oil,  began  to  water  the  carpet  with  it 
to  lay  the  dust. 

Some  others  piled  all  the  chairs  on  the  table,  and  made 
feeble  efforts  to  set  fire  to  them,  thinking  it  was  the  fifth 
of  November,  and  there  ought  to  be  a  bonfire. 

In  the  midst  of  this  havoc  and  confusion,  Jack  entered 
with  Garden. 

He  had  seen  a  little  misrule  at  the  university,  espe- 
cially in  St.  Aldate's,  but  he  was  not  prepared  for  this. 


I  A  CK  HA  KKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  2 13 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

THE  CHALLENGE. 

HARKAWAY  had  been  accustomed  to  some  wild  scenes 
during  his  life,  but  the  confusion  that  reigned  in  his  room 
baffled  all  his  experience. 

Half  a  dozen  men  were  standing  on  chairs,  making 
speeches  one  against  the  other. 

They  fancied  they  were  at  the  "Union,"  taking  part  in 
a  debate. 

Others  again  singing  songs  and  joining  in  choruses  with 
a  heartiness  that  made  a  sort  of  small  Babel  or  confusion 
of  tongues. 

The  effect  was  something  like  this — 

"I  say,  sir,  and  I 'will  repeat  it  again  and  again  with 
all  the  emphasis  that  such  an  important  subject  demands, 
that  William  Ewart  Gladstone  is" — "  The  mere  slave  of 
the  Tory  party,  for" — "Many  have  told  of  the  monks  of 
old,  what  a  jovial  crew  were  they  ;  for  they  laughed  ha  ! 
ha  !  end  they  quaffed  " — "Wine,  sir,  is  the  root  of  all  evil. 
If  there  were  no  wines  at  this  university,  Oxford  would 
be," — "The  worst  place  in  the  world  for  a  man  to  go  to. 
I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  London  is  a  sink  of 
iniquity,  in  which  revel  " — "  The  bishops  of  the  church  are 
the  defenders  of  the  faith,  and  he  of  Oxford — I  mean  the 
immortal  Wilberforce,  has  truly  said" — "Champagne 
Charlie  is  my  name,"  etc.,  ad  lib. 

Other  men  again  were  doing  their  little  worst  to  Jack's 
property. 

It  seemed  to  be  their  object  to  destroy  everything  they 
could  lay  their  hands  on. 

One  was  making  cigarettes  by  tearing  leaves  out  of  his 
"Livy." 

Another  was  cutting  strips  of  cloth  out  of  his  dressing- 
gown,  and  putting  them  over  the  chimney  of  the  lamp  to 
burn. 

A  third  had  the  poker  red-hot  in  the  fire,  and  was  now 
and  again  burning  holes  in  the  carpet. 

A  fourth  was  breaking  all  the  crockery  in  the  cupboard 
with  the  tongs. 


214  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

The  man  laughed  idiotically  at  each  smash. 
'  I  say,  Garden,"  exclaimed  Jack,  "I  can't  stand  this." 
'  It's  rather  neat,  isn't  it  ? "  said  Garden,  laughing. 
'  Help  me  to  clear  the  room,  will  you  ? " 
'  Think  of  the  laws  of  hospitality,  my  dear  fellow. " 
'  That  be  hanged  ;  think  of  my  belongings." 
'  Very  well.     How  shall  we  begin  ?  "  said  Garden. 
' Chuck  them  out,  one  by  one." 

'  All  right.  Pitch  in.  I'll  start  with  the  poker  cove. 
You'll  want  a  new  carpet  to-morrow." 

"  Bother  the  carpet,"  said  Jack,  seizing  a  man  who  was 
boring  a  hole  in  the  cushion  of  a  chair  with  a  fruit-knife. 

He  soon  dragged  him  to  the  door  and  deposited  him 
on  the  landing. 

Then  he  went  back  for  another. 

He  passed  Garden  on  the  way,  who  carried  two — one 
in  each  hand. 

The  men  were  too  far  gone  to  show  fight,  and  took 
their  expulsion  very  quietly. 

In  about  ten  minutes  the  room  was  cleared. 

The  oak  was  sported. 

Jack  looked  round  dismally  on  the  scene  of  devastation. 

Ruined  furniture,  broken  mirrors,  cracked  glasses, 
smashed  crockery  met  his  gaze  everywhere. 

The  men  outside  began  to  kick  at  the  door  and  to 
vociferate  loudly. 

"Kick  away,  you  beauties,  you  don't  come  in  here," 
said  Garden,  with  a  quiet  smile. 

"  No  ;  I'm  jiggered  if  they  do,"  said  Jack. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  your  first  wine  ? " 

"  Not  much,  I  can  tell  you.  My  first  shall  be  my  last, " 
said  Jack. 

"St.  Aldate's  is  coming  to  something,"  remarked  Car- 
den.  "We  hare  the  reputation  of  being  the  fastest  col- 
lege in  Oxford,  and  by  Jove,  we  are  trying  to  deserve  our 
designation." 

"  Haven't  they  made  a  clean  sweep  of  it,  that's  all." 

"Rather.  I  never  saw  such  havoc.  It's  awful," 
said  Garden,  adding,  "Where  did  you  get  your  stuff 
from  ? " 

"My  wine?  Oh,  it's  some  of  the  most  expensive  I 
could  buy." 

"That  is  it.      Youngsters'  nuts   are  not    up  to  swell 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  215 

winee,  and  the  result  of  your  extravagance  is  a  smash-up. 
Hark  at  the  beggars.  What  a  row  they  are  making. " 

"Can't  we  duck  them,  or  something  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"  Let's  try.  I'll  open  the  oak  while  you  send  a  pail  of 
water  over  them. " 

"  Suppose  they  storm  the  castle,  and  get  in  again  ?  " 

"They  shan't  do  that,"  said  Garden.  "I'll  guard  the 
door. " 

Jack  saw  a  large  pail  of  dirty  water,  left  by  the  scout, 
after  washing  up  some  things. 

Seizing  it  in  his  vigorous  grasp,  and  getting  his  hand 
well  under  the  bottom,  he  followed  Garden. 

The  door  was  opened  and  as  quickly  shut. 

But,  short  as  had  been  the  interval,  Jack  had  discharged 
the  contents  of  the  pail  full  in  the  face  of  a  mob  of  howl- 
ing men. 

There  was  a  rush  backwards. 

Then  a  renewed  attack  on  the  solid  oak. 

This  was  accompanied  with  naughty  words  and  a  fierce 
yelling. 

"  Fire  away,"  said  Jack,  adding — 

"Make  yourself  at  home,  old  fellow,  if  you  can.  Shall 
you  pitch  here  to-night  ?  Better,  perhaps,  take  the  sofa  ; 
unless  you  prefer  half  my  bed." 

"No,  thanks;  the  sofa  will  do  for  me.  I  can't  stand 
sleeping  double,"  said  Garden.  "It  goes  against  the 
grain. " 

"All  right.  Will  you  have  the  bed  ?— and  I'lltake  the 
rug. " 

"Don't  put  yourself  out  on  my  account.  Give  me  a 
blanket,  and  I  shall  be  as  jolly  as  a  sandboy  in  less  than 
no  time." 

Jack  speedily  rugged  him  up  on  the  sofa,  and,  by  de- 
grees the  noisy  men  outside  dispersed,  retiring  to  their 
rooms. 

In  a  short  time  both  Harkaway  and  Garden  were  asleep. 

They  did  not  turn  up  at  chapel  in  the  morning. 

That  was  no  unusual  occurrence  with  the  fast  set 

Monday  and  Buster  groaned  when  they  entered  the 
room  and  saw  the  havoc  that  had  been  done. 

The  scout  was  used  to  that  sort  of  thing. 

He  had  seen  what  we  may  call  several  generations  of 
university  men. 


2 1 6  JACK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

As  a  rule,  young  men  at  Oxford  are  very  much  alike. 

What  is  done  in  one  man's  time  is  done  in  another's. 

So  Buster  set  to  work  like  a  philosopher  to  put  thing.: 
straight. 

He  emptied  the  wine  out  of  the  boots  and  the  clock, 
cleared  away  the  remains  of  the  orgie,  turned  the  carpet, 
so  that  the  burnt  holes  would  not  be  seen,  put  the  injured 
chair  in  the  background,  and  in  a  couple  of  hours  the 
room  looked  as  if  nothing  extraordinary  had  happened, 

At  ten  o'clock  a  very  decent  breakfast  stood  on  the  table, 
consisting  of  cold  game,  hot  fish,  Strasbourg  patties, 
honey  in  the  comb,  tea  and  coffee,  with  other  trifles. 

Then  he  found  some  soda  and  brandy,  which  he  gave 
first  to  Garden,  who  drank  it  eagerly. 

"Did  it  hiss  as  it  went  down,  Buster?"  asked  Garden. 

"  Didn't  hear  it,  sir,"  said  the  scout. 

"  Is  Mr.   Harkaway  up  ?  " 

"Not  yet,  sir.     Soon  make  him  show  a  leg." 

He  went  as  he  spoke,  with  some  more  soda  and  brandy 
to  his  master,  who  speedily  turned  out  of  bed. 

"Here,  you  Monday,  Tuesday,"  cried  Tom  Garden, 
"bring  me  some  soap  and  water,  towels,  etc.  I  suppose 
you  haven't  got  a  spare  tub  ?  " 

"Only  one,  sare,  and  Mist'  Harkaway  him  in  it,"  re- 
plied Monday.  "  Hark  how  um  splash  about,  sare." 

In  fact,  Jack  wras  in  his  bath,  making  a  noise  like  a 
sportive  porpoise. 

Garden  soon  dressed  himself,  and  was  joined  by  Jack  at 
the  breakfast-table. 

The  London  papers  had  just  arrived,  and  were  laid  out 
'on  the  table. 

Everything  was  in  excellent  order. 

"Wonderful  man,  Buster,"  exclaimed  Jack.  "He's 
cleared  the  wreck  away  in  a  marvellous  manner. " 

"  He's  used  to  it.  Aren't  you,  you  old  villain  ?  "  asked 
Garden. 

"Ought  to  be  by  this  time,  sir,"  said  Buster.  "I've 
seen  a  few  things  in  my  time.  Spent  almost  all  my  life 
in  the  'varsity,  but  this  here  spree  last  night  was  a  lick. 
Pate,  sir  ? — yes,  sir  ;  all  the  way  from  Strasbourg,  sir. 
Made  of  geese's  livers,  sir,  they  do  say,  and  werry  nice, 
too." 

"What  do  you  know  about  it,  you  vagabond  ?  Shut  up. " 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  2 1 7 

"Cert'ny  sir.  Don't  presume  to  know  more  than  you, 
sir. " 

"  You  old  humbug,  why,  I'll  bet  that,  in  your  wicked 
old  heart,  you  are  saying  to  yourself  that  you  have  for- 
gotten twenty  years  ago  more  than  I  have  ever  known." 

"Yes,  sir,  wouldn't  like  to  contradict  a  gentleman  like 
you,  sir.  'Scuse  me,  sir,  knock  at  the  door." 

"Answer  it,  then,  and  keep  your  confounded  tongue 
quiet.  You  know  I  hate  you." 

The  scout  went  to  the  door,  and  came  back  say- 
ing— 

"  Mr.  Kemp,  sir." 

' '  Kemp  ?  "  repeated  Jack. 

"Yes,  sir/' 

" Say  I  won't  see  him." 

"  He  says  he's  come  from  Lord  Tollington,  sir." 

"  Tollington  ? "  repeated  Jack,  adding  to  Garden, 
"  wasn't  he  at  my  wine  last  night  ?  " 

"Of  course  he  was.  Don't  you  remember  what  hap- 
pened ? " 

"Not  much.  I  was  so  upset  with  the  attack  on  Man- 
asses,  and  the  riot  afterwards,  I  am  rather  fogged." 

"You  punched  his  head,  or  something." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  recollect  now.  Ask  Mr.  Kemp  to  be  good 
enough  to  step  in,"  said  Jack. 

Kemp  entered,  looking  round  him  defiantly. 

"  Do  you  want  me  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"  I  suppose  so,  or  I  should  not  have  called,"  replied 
Kemp. 

"You  needn't  be  insolent,  my  good  fellow,  or  you  will 
go  out  a  deuced  sight  quicker  than  you  came  in." 

"That  depends  upon  circumstances.  I  wasn't  drunk 
last  night." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  I  was?  "  asked  Jack. 

"  Draw  what  inference  you  like  from  my  words.  I 
come  from  Lord  Tollington." 

"  What  of  that  ?" 

"You  will  know  directly,  if  you  listen." 

"Go  ahead,"  said  Jack. 

"  You  insulted  his  lordship  grossly  last  night  and  struck 
him." 

"Very  possibly.  I  am  rather  hazy  about  the  affair,  but 
if  I  did  hit  him,  I'll  lay  six  to  four  he  deserved  it." 


2 1 8  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  That  is  not  the  question.  Lord  Tollington  has  sent 
me  to  demand  satisfaction." 

"  What  ?  "  exclaimed  Jack. 

"Satisfaction." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  he  wants  to  fight  a  duel  with 
me?" 

"I  do," answered  Kemp. 

"But  duelling  is  illegal  in  this  country." 

"  He  is  willing  to  chance  that." 

"Is  he? " said  Jack,  thoughtfully. 

"If  you  will  not  accept  the  challenge  he  has  sent  you 
by  me,  he  says  he  will  publicly  horsewhip  you,  and  brand 
you  as  a  coward  all  over  Oxford. " 

"Indeed!" 

"You  may  sneer,  but  you  would  not  like  to  have  bills 
printed  and  posted  everywhere  advertising  your  cow- 
ardice," said  Kemp. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  post  them  ? " 

"I  certainly  should  have  no  objection,"  replied  Kemp 
coolly. 

Jack  stared  at  him  in  a  puzzled  sort  of  manner.  At 
length  he  said — 

"I  am  at  breakfast  now  ;  would  you  have  any  objec- 
tion to  come  back  again  in  an  hour  ? " 

"  Not  at  all.     I  will  do  so  with  pleasure." 

"I  will  give  you  an  answer  then." 

"All  right.  I  am  simply  the  friend  of  Lord  Tolling- 
ton, and  have  no  wish  to  be  disagreeable, "  said  Kemp. 

"Open  the  door  for  this  gentleman,"  said  Jack. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

NEGOTIATIONS. 

"  HERE'S  a  pretty  go,"  said  Jack. 

"Well,  what  of  it,"  replied  Garden. 

"  Fellows  go  and  kick  up  a  row  in  my  room,  want  to 
beat  a  poor  old  Jew.  I  punch  one  man's  head,  and  I  get 
a  challenge  to  fight  a  duel. " 

"It  isn't  pleasant,  certainly." 

"Not  at  all" 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  2 1 9 

"Shall  you  fight?" 

"That's  exactly  what  I  want  to  ask  you,"  replied  Jack. 
"You  have  been  up  here  longer  than  I,  and  you  ought  to 
know  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  place  and  be  able 
to  advise  me  what  to  do." 

"I  must  confess,"  said  Garden,  "that  I  never  heard  of 
men  righting  duels.  Oh  !  yes  I  did,  though ;  a  man  shot 
another  years  ago  and  bolted  to  Spain.  Tollington  is  a 
very  proud  fellow  ;  he  belongs  to  one  of  the  oldest 
families  in  the  Kingdom.  Catholics  I  think  they  are,  and 
he  evidently  means  fighting." 

"1  should  not  like  to  be  called  a  coward." 

"The  law  would  take  your  side.  It  is  an  offence  to 
send  a  challenge  ;  the  police  would  have  him  up  in  no 
time. " 

"Can't  stand  police  cases,"  said  Jack  ;  "they  are  low." 

"Now  I  think  of  it,  Tollington  is  reckoned  a  dead 
shot. " 

"  Is  he?  I'm  not  a  bad  hand  with  a  gun,  but  a  pistol 
is  a  different  thing. " 

"Tell  you  what  I  saw  him  do  for  a  wager  once,"  con- 
tinued Garden.  "He  stuck  a  nine  of  diamonds  on  the 
wall  and  at  twenty  paces  he  hit  each  pip  in  succes- 
sion." 

'That's  not  bad  ;  I'm  in  for  it,"  replied  Jack. 
'  Can  you  fence  ?  "  asked  his  friend. 
"Yes." 
'  Well  ? " 

'  Pretty  well.  I  know  the  passes,  and  can  lunge  in 
tierce  or  quarte,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  They  used 
to  say  I  made  rather  pretty  play  with  a  sword,"  replied 
Jack. 

"That's  your  sort  then,"  cried  Garden,  gleefully. 
"Tollington  is  not  much  of  a  fencer ;  I  heard  him  say  so 
once." 

"But  suppose  his  lordship  chooses  pistols?" 

"  He  hasn't  the  choice  according  to  all  usage.  You  as 
the  challenged  may  select  your  own  weapon,  provided 
it  is  something  of  a  civilised  nature." 

"Hurrah!"  cried  Jack;  "that  will  do.  I  shan't  be 
made  cold  meat  of  this  time." 

"  Leave  it  all  to  me.  I  will  do  the  needful  with  you, 
and  talk  to  Mr.  Kemp." 


220  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

'•'  Will  you  be  my  second  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  will ;  didn't  I  say  so  ?  I'll  get  the  swords 
and  everything,  a  couple  of  Toledos — beauties,  I  know 
where  to  spot  just  the  pair  of  irons  you  will  want." 

"  I  shall  be  indebted  to  you  all  my  life  if  you  will 
manage  the  affair  for  me.  As  he  has  challenged  me,  I 
must  fight,  and  I'm  glad  it  is  not  with  pistols,  because 
there  is  less  chance  of  killing  one  another  with  swords." 

"So  I  think.  Keep  yourself  quiet,  and  refer  Kemp  to 
me  when  he  returns.  I'll  talk  to  him  like  a  Dutch  uncle," 
said  Garden. 

"Thanks,  old  boy  ;  I  shan't  forget  you." 

"You'll  pink  this  fighting  sprig  of  nobility,  and  take 
some  of  the  courage  out  of  him." 

As  he  spoke,  Monday  again  ushered  in  Kemp. 

"Am  I  too  soon  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Not  at  all,"  replied  Jack. 

"Oh,  I  thought  you  looked  as  if  you  couldn't  make 
your  mind  up  whether  to  be  shot  or  kicked,"  said  Kemp, 
insolently. 

"  This  language  tc  me  in  my  own  rooms  is  unpardon- 
able, Mr.  Kemp,"  cried  Jack  ;  "and  were  you  not  a  mes- 
senger from  Lord  Tollington,  I  should  turn  you  out." 

"An  easy  way  of  getting  out  of  a  difficulty,"  sneered 
Kemp. 

"As  it  is,"  said  Jack,  advancing  threateningly  towards 
Kemp,  "I  shall  request  Lord  Tollington  to  send  me  a 
gentleman  next  time/not  a  swindler." 

To  Jack's  taunt  Kemp  replied — 

"Thank  you.  You  can  have  another  duel  on  with  me 
if  Tollington  doesn't  settle  you." 

"I  wouldn't  go  out  with  you." 

"Really,  gentlemen,"  exclaimed  Garden,  "  I  must  inter- 
pose between  you.  Harkaway,  you  are  wrong  to  take 
any  notice  of  Mr.  Kemp,  and  you,  sir,  have  behaved  in  a 
scandalous  manner,  which  I  will  take  care  is  reported  to 
your  principal." 

"Didn't  mean  anything,"  said  Kemp,  abashed  at  this 
reproof.  "Mr.  Harkaway  never  loses  an  opportunity  of 
snacking  at  me." 

"Be  good  enough  to  confine  yourself  to  the  business 
in  hand." 

"  I  suppose  that's  soon  settled.     You  don't  mean  fight- 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  221 

ing.  It's  against  the  law,  and  so  on.  I'd  better  go  on  to 
the  saddler's  and  order  Tollington  a  new  whip." 

Jack  started  from  his  chair,  flushing  angrily. 

"  By  Jove !  Garden,"  he  cried,  "this  is  more  than  I 
can  stand.  This  fellow  wants  me  to  hit  him." 

Garden  got  between  Jack  and  Kemp,  keeping  them 
apart. 

"  Do  you  refer  Mr.  Kemp  to  me,  as  your  friend  in  this 
affair  ?  "  he  said. 

"I  do." 

"Then  oblige  me  by  sitting  down  while  we  negotiate." 

Jack  sat  down  in  his  chair  again,  lit  his  pipe,  and  smoked 
sullenly,  while  he  glared  savagely  at  Kemp,  as  if  he  would 
have  liked  to  have  half  an  hour's  pounding  at  him. 

"Now,  Mr.  Kemp,"  continued  Garden,  "I  have  the 
pleasure  of  informing  you  that  Mr.  Harkaway  has  accepted 
Lord  Tollington's  challenge." 

"Really  !  "  said  Kemp,  evidently  surprised. 

"Perhaps  you  both  of  you  thought  he  would  not  listen 
to  such  a  proposal.  You  are  mistaken  if  that  was  your 
belief." 

"Pistols,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"On  the  contrary  !  we  have  decided  upon  swords." 

"But  Tollington  particularly  wishes  to  use  hair  trig- 
gers," said  Kemp. 

"I  cannot  control  his  lordship's  inclinations,"  answered 
Garden,  blandly.  "I  presume,  however,  that  you  are 
aware  the  choice  of  weapons  lies  with  my  friend,  Mr. 
Harkaway  ?  " 

"Why?" 

"  Because  he  is  the  party  challenged." 

"Very  well ;  I  suppose  it  is  all  right.     Forge  ahead." 

"The  place  must  be  settled  between  you  and  me,  as 
well  as  the  time,  etc." 

"What  do  you  propose?"  said  Kemp,  who  appeared 
considerably  crestfallen  at  the  turn  affairs  were  taking. 

"  Place,  a  hayfield  a  mile  or  so  out  of  Sandford,  on  the 
high  road  ;  there  is  a  stack  near  the  gate.  Do  you  know 
it?" 

' '  Yes,  that  will  do. " 

"Time,  six  o'clock  to-morrow  morning,"  continued 
Garden. 

"  Very  well,"  said  Kemp. 


222  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  I  will  bring  weapons,  or  you  may  do  so.  The  swords, 
remember,  must  be  measured,  and  be  of  an  equal  length." 

"Do  you  think  I  would  give  Tollington  a  longer  sword 
than  Harkaway?"  said  Kemp,  with  assumed  indignation. 

"I  don't  say  anything  of  the  kind,  but  mistakes  are 
possible,  and  I  mean  to  guard  against  them,"  replied 
Garden,  adding,  "Is  there  any  further  matter  that  we 
can  debate  ? " 

"No;  it's  all  settled." 

"Keep  it  dark  then.  We  don't  want  half  Oxford  looking 
on.  Better  bring  a  doctor  with  you,  though." 

"What  for?     You  haven't  killed  my  man  already." 

"No  ;  but  we  mean  to  have  a  try  for  it,"  said  Garden. 
"Besides,  a  doctor  is  useful  to  both  parties.  Will  you 
bring  one,  or  shall  we  ?  " 

' '  We  will, "  answered  Kemp. 

"That  will  do.  As  we  shall  not  utter  a  word  to  a 
human  being,  we  shall  know,  if  spectators  are  present, 
or  the  police  interfere,  that  it  is  from  your  side  the  infor- 
mation has  come ;  understand  that,  if  you  please,  Mr. 
Kemp." 

"  We  mean  fighting  quite  as  much  as  you  do,"  answered 
Kemp;  "so  you  needn't  flurry  your  fat  about  us  split- 
ting." 

"  Good-morning.  Monday,  open  the  door  for  this 
gentleman. " 

When  Kemp  was  gone,  Jack  exclaimed — 

"I  can  breathe  again,  now  that  vulgar  brute  is  out  of 
the  room." 

"So  can  I.     Open  the  window  ;  let  us  purify." 

"Isn't  it  odd  that  when  there  is  anything  unpleasant 
going  on  with  regard  to  myself,  that  fellow  Kemp  is  sure 
to  have  a  ringer  in  the  pie  ?  " 

"It  is.  He  manages  to  get  hold  of  one  fellow  after 
another.  I  heard  he  was  working  Lord  Tollington,  who 
is  a  freshman,  and  getting  money  out  of  him  at  billiards 
and  by  betting. " 

"  Shouldn't  wonder,"  said  Jack,  "  if  he  put  Tollington 
up  to  the  idea  of  a  duel." 

"Very  likely.  Now  look  here,  old  man.  I'll  go  and  get 
the  fencing  irons,  and  we'll  have  a  bout  together.  You 
must  keep  quiet  No  excitement  to-day,  mind,"  said 
Garden. 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  223 

"All  right,"  answered  Jack.  "  I  don't  want  to  kill  my 
opponent,  but  I  should  like  to  give  him  a  lesson." 

"If  you  do  kill  him  by  an  unlucky  thrust,  you  will 
have  to  bolt  abroad." 

"  Shall  I  ?  " 

"Undoubtedly.  Duelling  is  illegal.  If  a  man  kill  an- 
other in  a  duel,  the  law  says  it  is  murder,  and  you  will 
either  be  hanged  or  imprisoned  for  life. " 

"  Nice  prospect,  that,"  replied  Jack,  with  a  sickly  smile. 
"  I  begin  to  think  I  am  in  for  a  good  thing." 

"Deuced  nasty  uncomfortable  thing;  but  you  must 
pull  through  it  somehow." 

"I'm  not  funking,"  Jack  replied.  "Only  an  affair  of 
this  sort  makes  one  rather  solemn." 

He  went  for  the  swords,  and  returned  in  about  half  an 
hour  with  two  beauties,  light,  delicate,  well-tempered, 
and  elastic  as  whalebone. 

They  immediately  had  a  set-to,  and  Tom  Garden  ex- 
pressed himself  satisfied  when,  at  the  expiration  of  an 
hour,  they  left  off. 

"I  learnt  fencing  when  I  was  at  Eton  under  Angelo, 
the  best  man  in  England,"  he  answered. 

"  You  fence  well,"  said  Jack,  "and  no  mistake." 

"Yes.  I  was  considered  a  good  hand  at  it.  I  won 
the  foils  in  my  year." 

"  I  must  really  thank  you  for  putting  me  up  to  several 
wrinkles,"  continued  Jack.  "That  feint  of  yours  in  tierce, 
and  the  lunge  afterwards,  is  splendid." 

"Generally  so  considered.  It  lays  your  adversary 
open  to  you  ;  and  if  you  watch  your  opportunity,  you 
cannot  help  spitting  him  through  the  right  arm,  near  the 
shoulder-blade." 

"  In  Germany,  I  believe,  the  students  at  the  universities 
of  Bonn,  Heidelberg,  Gottingen,  etc.,  always  settle  their 
differences  with  the  sword." 

"  Yes,  but  they  only  hit  in  the  face.  It  is  not  fair  to 
strike  anywhere  else,  and  that  accounts  for  the  hideous 
scars  so  many  Germans  have  on  their  faces." 

"Well,"  said  Jack,  "I  look  forward  with  hope  to  the 
future.  Shall  I  make  my  will  ?  " 

"You've  got  nothing  to  leave,  have  you  ?  " 

"Not  till  the  governor  croaks.  Oh,  yes,  there  is  the 
monkey,"  replied  Jack,  with  a  laugh. 


224  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFQRD. 

"  Let  him  take  his  chance,  he's  all  safe  with  Mole." 

"  There  is  just  this  little  portrait  of  Emily,"  said  Jack  ; 
"  the  one  in  my  locket.  If  anything  should  happen,  give 
it  to  her,  will  you  ?  " 

' '  You  are  miles  off  being  what  doctors  and  undertakers 
call  a  stiff  'un,"  replied  Garden.  "But  I'll  think  of  it, 
if " 

He  did  not  conclude  the  sentence. 

Jack's  life  was  in  the  hands  of  a  merciful  Providence. 

Everything  depended  on  the  morrow,  upon  a  cool  head, 
and  a  steady  hand. 

He  did  not  wish  to  frighten  him. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE    DUEL. 

AFTER  all,  Jack  went  out  to  take  a  constitutional. 

While  he  was  gone  for  his  walk,  Harvey  came  to  Car- 
den's  rooms,  and  found  him  indulging  in  black  coffee  and 
brandy,  smoking  a  very  big  cigar,  and  lolling  lazily  upon 
a  sofa. 

"How  do.  Garden?"  said  Harvey.  "Seen  anything 
of  Jack?" 

' '  Yes  ;  he's  gone  for  a  stroll. " 

"  Oh,  I  wondered  where  he  was.  Monday  said  he  had 
not  been  in  since  hall,  and  couldn't  make  out  where  he 
had  got  to." 

"  Do  you  want  him  ?  " 

"Well,  yes,  I  do." 

"Anything  important ? " 

"To  him  it  is." 

"Well,  then,  postpone  it  till  to-morrow  morning  to 
oblige  me." 

"Why  ?  "  asked  Harvey. 

"I  have  my  reasons." 

"Can't  you  tell  a  fellow  ?  " 

"No,  not  now.  You  will  know  all  at  breakfast-time 
to-morrow  morning  ;  but  what  is  the  news  ?  " 

"Well,  as  you  are  so  uncommunicative,  I  don't  see 
why  I  should  open  my  mouth  any  more  than  you. " 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  225 

"You  are  Harkaway's  friend,  are  you  not  ?" 

"I  hope  so.  We  were  schoolfellows  together,  and  I 
don't  suppose  it  is  any  secret  that  if  it  had  not  been  for 
Jack's  kindness,  I  should  not  be  up  at  Oxford  now." 

"  Very  well,  then  ;  you  must  not  excite  him  to-night." 

"  It's  all  very  well  to  puzzle  a  man  by  talking  in  this 
enigmatical  manner, "replied  Harvey,  peevishly.  "Can't 
you  tell  me  what's  on  ?  " 

"  Can't  you  tell  me  ?     The  thing  cuts  both  ways." 

"I  won't  speak  unless  you  do." 

"If  you'll  speak  first,  I'll  enlighten  you  afterwards. 
Will  that  do,  exacting  beast?  "  replied  Garden. 

"All  right  A  servant  has  been  over  here  from  Oakley 
Wood." 

"Where  is  that?" 

"  Oh,  a  few  miles  out  of  Oxford." 

"  Who  lives  there?     I  am  in  the  dark." 

"I  thought  you  knew,"  said  Harvey.  "It  is  Mr. 
Travers's  place,  and  Emily  is  governess  there." 

"  Who  is  Emily  ?" 

"Why,  Jack's  young  lady.  You  call  yourself  a  friend 
of  Harkaway's,  and  you  haven't  heard  of  her." 

"Perhaps  I  have.  I  may  have  forgotten;  anyhow,  I 
don't  remember." 

"Emily  and  Jack  were  engaged  a  long  time  ago, 
before  we  got  wrecked  in  the  China  seas ;  he  saved  her 
from  a  lot  of  perils  ;  her  people  are  dead,  and  she  has 
gone  out  as  a  governess  rather  than  be  dependent  upon 
Jack's  people.  Now  do  you  see  ?  " 

"  Je  twiggay — that  is  to  say,  I  twig,*'  said  Garden. 

"Well,  Emily  has  suddenly  disappeared,  and  no  one 
knows  where  she  has  gone  to." 

"Der  teuffel,"  exclaimed  Garden,  who  seemed  in  the 
humour  for  making  experiments  in  foreign  language. 

"  What  may  that  mean  in  English? " 

Garden  pointed  to  the  floor  with  his  finger. 

"  Gentleman  downstairs.  Name  begins  with  D  and 
ends  with  L.  We  never  mention  him  in  polite  so- 
ciety." 

"Oh,  I  know,  the  d .  Call  him  Satan  ;  it  sounds 

better,"  said  Harvey. 

"  These  disappearances  are  becoming  the  rage,"  said 
Garden.  "First  of  all.  Miss  Hilda  Manasses  vanishes 


226  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

from  the  festive  scene,  then  the  gentle  Emily  is  non  est. 
It  is  a  case  for  the  police. " 

"Won't  Jack  be  upset,   that's  all" 

"I  should  think  so." 

"  He'll  rave  and  tear  like  a  mad  bull." 

"Enough  to  make  him,  and  that  is  just  why  I  don't 
want  the  news  to  reach  him  till  to-morrow.  Who  besides 
you  saw  the  messenger  from  Oakley  Wood?" 

"No  one." 

"Are  you  sure?" 

"Well,  Monday  ushered  the  servant  in  while  I  was 
sitting  in  Jack's  rooms,  but  he  did  not  hear  a  word  that 
passed.  Mrs.  Travers  wished  to  inquire  if  Miss  Emily 
had  been  to  Oxford  to  see  Mr.  Harkaway,  as  she  knew 
they  were  engaged,  and  Emily  had  been  missing  since 
breakfast-time." 

"I  see.  It's  all  right  Not  a  syllable  of  this  must 
reach  Harka way's  ears." 

"Why?" 

"He  is  going  to  fight  a  duel  with  swords  to-morrow 
morning." 

Harvey  jumped  out  of  his  chair  with  amazement 

"Now  you're  joking,"  he  exclaimed. 

"Am  I  ?  I'll  take  my  oath  I  was  never  more  serious  in 
my  life." 

"Who  with?" 

"Lord  Tollington." 

"  Oh,  I  heard  something  about  him  slipping  into  Tol- 
lington. So  they  are  going  to  fight,  eh  ?  " 

"Tollington  challenged  him." 

"Why  didn't  you  stop  it ? " 

"Simply  because  I  could  not  do  so.  His  lordship 
said  he  would  publicly  insult  him  if  he  did  not  accept  the 
challenge.  Fighting  with  swords  is  not  always  fatal,  and 
I  thought  that  it  was  best  to  let  it  come  off." 

"Jack  can  fence  a  little,"  said  Harvey,  thoughtfully. 

"A  good  deal,  you  mean;  he's  all  there  at  it  Now 
you  see  why  I  don't  want  him  upset." 

"  Of  course.     Are  you  his  second  ?  * 

"  I  have  that  distinguished  honour." 

"  I  wonder  he  did  not  come  to  me,"  said  Harvey,  a 
little  hurt  "But  I'm  pleased  to  think  he  is  in  good 
hands." 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  227 

"The  fact  is,  the  whole  thing  was  unexpected.  I  was 
sitting  in  Harkaway's  rooms  when  Kemp  brought  in  the 
challenge,  and  he  asked  me  to  manage  it  for  him." 

"So  Kemp's  in  it" 

"Yes." 

"Then  they  have  got  it  up  for  Harkaway  between 
them  ;  they'll  do  him  some  injury  before  they  have  done 
with  him.  I  never  saw  such  determined  enemies  as  he 
has  got." 

"There  shall  be  nothing  unfair  on  this  occasion," 
answered  Garden.  "  I  promise  you  I  will  see  him  safely 
through  it." 

' '  Can  I  come  ? " 

"No;  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  we  have  pledged  our- 
selves to  have  no  one  on  the  ground  but  the  principals, 
seconds,  and  the  doctor," 

"Iflcan't,  I  can't,  "said  Harvey  ;  "  but  I  should  tike  to 
see  it  all.  If  Tollington  hurts  Jack,  I'll  fight  him  myself. " 

"  So  you  shall,"  replied  Garden  ;  "  but  I  hope  it  will  be 
the  other  way. " 

Harvey  stayed  a  little  longer  in  Garden's  room,  but  did 
/iot  attempt  to  see  Jack  that  evening. 

Fighting  a  duel  is  a  serious  matter. 

The  intelligence  he  had  to  communicate  would  have  un- 
nerved Harkaway,  and  given  his  opponent  an  advantage 
over  him. 

Therefore,  he  felt  persuaded  that  Garden  was  right  in 
asking  him  to  postpone  the  delivery  of  the  news  until  the 
following  day. 

The  night  passed  anxiously  for  all  parties  concerned. 

Jack  woke  up  more  than  once,  having  had  bad  dreams, 
but  at  half-past  four,  when  his  second,  who  had  not  at- 
tempted to  sleep,  came  to  his  bedside,  he  sprang  up  eagerly. 

"Is  it  time  to  make  a  start  ?  "  he  said. 

"Yes  ;  we  have  some  distance  to  drive." 

"  Where  is  the  trap  ? " 

"  At  the  stable.  It  will  be  ready  at  five  sharp.  How 
do  you  feel  ?  " 

"Fresh  as  paint,"  answered  Jack  "Stand  on  one 
side  while  I  roll  into  my  tub. " 

Garden  got  out  of  his  way,  and  Jack  plunged  into  the 
invigorating  water,  sponging  himself  and  splashing  about 
sportively. 


228  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

In  ten  minutes  he  was  dressed. 

It  was  a  lovely  morning  in  May. 

The  sun  had  just  risen  as  they  reached  the  stable,  and 
the  air  was  warm  and  genial. 

They  found  the  dog-cart  waiting  for  them,  got  in — 
Garden  handling  the  ' '  ribbons, "  as  he  playfully  called  the 
reins — and  they  were  soon  spanking  along  the  Iffley  Road. 

"  I  was  half  afraid  you  wouldn't  wake,"  remarked  Jack. 

' '  No  more  I  did. " 

"Some  one  called  you,  then  ?  " 

"Wrong  again.  I  did  not  go  to  sleep.  There  was  a 
Van  John  party  going  on  in  Seymour's  rooms,  so  I  tod- 
dled over,  won  a  fiver,  and  left  them  at  it." 

"By  Jove  !     Your  nerves  must  be  strong." 

"I  hope  so.  If  they  were  not  they  would  not  be  of 
•nuch  use  to  me,"  answered  Garden,  with  a  smile. 

As  they  went  along,  Tom  gave  his  companion  a  few 
words  of  final  instruction  and  encouragement. 

"  You  are  both  of  you  young  and  full  of  wind, "  he  said, 
"  so  that  the  chances  are  Tollington  will  last  as  long  as 
you.  It's  no  use  trying  to  hit  hard  with  a  sword,  as  if 
you  were  playing  at  singlestick.  Rely  upon  skill,  and 
remember  all  I  have  told  you. " 

Jack  said  he  would  do  his  best. 

When  they  reached  the  field,  Garden  alighted  from  the 
trap,  opened  a  gate,  led  the  horse  in,  pulJed  him  some 
hay  out  of  the  rick,  and  left  him  standing  in  a  sheltered 
place,  free  from  observation. 

"We  are  first  on  the  ground,"  he  observed. 

Scarcely  had  he  spoken,  before  the  sound  of  wheels 
was  heard.  . 

Another  trap  entered  the  field,  and  it  contained  three 
men. 

A  glance  sufficed  to  show  that  it  held  Kemp,  Lord 
Tollington,  and  a  little  man  dressed  in  black,  who  from  a 
•case  of  instruments  he  carried  under  his  arm,  it  was  fair 
to  suppose  was  the  doctor. 

"  Got  a  sawbones,"  muttered  Jack. 

Garden  and  Kemp  bowed  to  each  other. 

Lord  Tollington  was  smoking  a  cigar  with  the  utmost 
nonchalance. 

He  chatted  gaily  with  the  doctor,  as  if  nothing  unusual 
was  about  to  happen. 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  229 

"Where  are  your  swords  ?"  asked  Kemp. 

"  Here,"  replied  Garden,  producing  his  case. 

Kemp  examined  them  carefully  and  was  satisfied  with 
his  inspection. 

"  They  will  do,"  he  exclaimed.  "By-the-bye,  may  I 
say  two  words  to  Harkaway  ?  " 

"Certainly  not,"  answered  the  other,  suspiciously. 

"  I  merely  wanted  to  tell  him  something." 

"  Send  any  message  you  like  through  me." 

"Well,  then,  tell  him  Emily  has  vanished  no  one  knows 
where,"  said  Kemp. 

Garden  felt  a  strong  inclination  to  knock  the  villain 
down. 

He  felt  instantly  that  this  intelligence  was  intended  to 
weaken  and  unnerve  Harkaway  at  the  last  moment 

Putting  on  a  careless  air,  he  replied — 

"  Oh,  that  is  stale  news.     We  heard  that  last  night." 

"  Did  you  ?  "  said  Kemp,  looking  at  him  inquiringly. 
"That's  all  I  wanted  to  say.  Is  your  man  ready  ?" 

' '  He  will  be  in  two  minutes.     See  after  your  principal. " 

"  Does  the  first  wound  stop  the  fight  ?     said  Garden. 

' '  Yes,  the  first  serious  wound ;  but  not  a  mere  scratch. " 

"  Of  course  not  ;  that  is  understood." 

Going  over  to  Harkaway,  Tom  Garden  exclaimed — 

"Strip,  old  fellow,  and  take  your  sword." 

Jack  quickly  took  off  his  coat,  waistcoat,  and  braces. 

He  stood  there  in  his  trousers  and  shirt 

Round  his  waist  he  tied  a  belt,  sailer  fashion. 

His  shoes  were  very  light  and  elastic. 

Taking  his  sword  in  his  hand,  he  walked  to  an  open 
spot  indicated. 

"I  think,  Mr.  Kemp,"  observed  Garden,  "that  if  we 
place  our  men  north  and  south,  neither  will  have  the  dis- 
advantage of  the  rising  sun." 

"No  ;  I  think  not,"  replied  Kemp. 

Lord  Tolhngton  and  Harkaway  faced  one  another. 

"Will  the  man  apologise?"  inquired  his  lordship  of 
Kemp,  looking  round  in  a  supercilious  manner. 

Kemp  repeated  the  question  to  Garden,  who  answered — 

"If  his  lordship  will  express  his  regret  for  his  extraor- 
dinary conduct,  which  led  to  Mr.  Harkaway's  chastising 
him,  probably  Mr.  Harkaway  will  admit  his  sorrow  at 
having  inflicted  bodily  pain  upon  Lord  Tollington." 


230  JA  CK  HARK  A IV AY  AT  OXFORD. 

"That  is  absurd.  En  garde,  sir,"  replied  his  lordship, 
saluting. 

The  swords  clashed  in  the  salute. 

Then  each  combatant  stepped  back  ;  each  one's  eyes 
fixed  upon  the  other's ;  every  muscle  rigid  as  iron,  each 
face  determined  and  resolute. 

In  form  Tollington  was  about  Jack's  height,  and  bore 
some  resemblance  to  him,  though  the  latter  was  more 
stoutly  built. 

The  birds  sang  merrily  in  the  trees  and  hedgerows  ; 
the  kine  lowed  in  the  meadows,  and  a  gentle  breeze  wafted 
the  perfume  of  the  May  towards  the  collegians. 

Much  as  Jack  had  profited  by  Garden's  instructions, 
they  did  not  seem  to  avail  him  much. 

If  he  tried  a  feint,  Lord  Tollington  was  prepared  for 
him. 

If  he  made  a  desperate  and  clever  thrust,  his  lordship 
parried  it. 

The  fact  was  that  Tollington  had  also  been  at  Eton, 
and  had  learnt  fencing  from  the  same  master  who  taught 
Garden  ;  therefore  they  were  both  acquainted  with  the 
same  tricks  of  fence. 

For  fully  ten  minutes  they  continued  to  fight  without 
either  obtaining  a  sensible  advantage. 

At  the  expiration  of  that  time  his  lordship  succeeded  in 
slightly  touching  Jack  in  the  breast 

The  blood  ran  down  his  white  shirt,  and  stained  it 
crimson. 

Jack  became  more  wary. 

He  felt  that  he  was  not  much  hurt,  and  restraining  his 
nervousness,  he  watched  narrowly  for  an  opportunity. 

It  came  at  last. 

A  whistle  was  heard  in  the  hedgerow. 

•'Some  one  coming,"  exclaimed  Kemp,  incautiously. 

Lord  Tollington  did  not  pay  any  attention  to  this 
remark,  but  kept  his  eye  fixed  on  his  adversary. 

Jack,  by  a  dexterous  turn  of  the  wrist,  inflicted  a  severe 
wound  on  his  lordship. 

The  unhappy  young  nobleman  fell  to  the  ground  with 
a  groan,  deluging  the  greensward  with  his  blood,  as  Jack 
deftly  withdrew  his  blade. 

In  an  instant  Kemp  was  supporting  him. 

The  surgeon    was   also    by   his   side,    examining   the 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  23  i 

wound,  which  he  proceeded  to  bind  up  to  stop  the  hem- 
orrhage. 

"Eh,  lad!"  exclaimed  a  voice.  "Be  they  Oxford 
gentlemen  a-foighting  \vi'  swords?" 

Garden  saw  a  country  bumpkin  eating  some  bread  and 
bacon. 

"Here's  half-a-crown  for  you,"  he  said  " Go  to  your 
work  and  hold  your  tongue." 

"  Haud  my  tongue  for  haaf-a-crown  ?  That's  not  me. 
I  mun  ha'  a  suverin',"  answered  the  bumpkin,  with  a 
knowing  look. 

"That's  all  you'll  get  from  me,"  said  Tom  Garden,  giv- 
ing him  a  hearty  kick;  "and  now  be  off,  unless  you 
want  another." 

Bumpkin  slunk  away  without  another  word. 

After  getting  to  a  safe  distance  he  stopped. 

"  Gie  oi  the  'aaf  crown,"  he  said. 

"See  you  hanged  first." 

Jack  had  hastily  put  on  his  clothes,  and,  going  to  the 
surgeon,  inquired  anxiously  after  his  adversary. 

"  I  hope  sincerely  he  is  not  much  hurt,"  he  said. 

"The  wound  is  not  mortal,"  said  the  doctor,  "but  he 
will  have  to  lay  up  for  some  time.  Fortunately  the  part 
touched  is  fleshy,  and  no  important  vessels  in  the  way." 

"That  is  jolly,"  said  Jack.  "  Can  we  render  you  any 
assistance  ?  " 

"None,  thanks.  We  must  get  him  back  to  college  as 
soon  as  possible,  and  say  he  has  a  fever." 

Jack  shook  the  doctor  by  the  hand  and  rejoined  Garden, 
who  had  already  taken  the  dog-cart  into  the  road. 

" He's  not  fatally  hurt,"  he  exclaimed.      "Hurrah  !  " 

"I  knew  that  by  the  way  he  was  hit  Jump  in.  It's 
all  right/'  said  the  inperturbable  Garden. 

Jack  was  soon  by  his  side  and  rolling  back  to  Oxford. 

"I  shall  have  an  appetite  for  breakfast  now,"  he  ob- 
served. 

"How  about  your  wound?  Did  he  let  the  daylight 
in  ?  "  asked  Garden,  whipping  up  the  horse. 

"  Oh,  no.  It's  merely  a  scratch.  The  bone  stopped 
the  point  of  the  sword." 

"  Lucky  for  you.     He  fenced  better  than  I  expected." 

''So  I  thought  It  was  my  idea,  at  one  time,  that  he 
was  too  good  for  me. " 


232  JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"You  are  well  out  of  it,  old  fellow.   I  congratulate  you." 

"Thanks.  It  has  ended  better  than  I  hoped,"  replied 
Jack. 

"Do  you  remember  what  Hudibras  says?"  asked 
Garden. 

"No;  what?" 

"Ah,  me  !  what  perils  do  environ — the  man  who 
meddles  with  cold  iron. " 

Jack  laughed. 

"Well,  it  wasn't  altogether  my  fault,"  he  said,  "and, 
if  fellows  will  fight,  why,  they  must." 

With  this  philosophical  remark,  he  contented  himself 
till  they  reached  Oxford,  where  they  arrived  in  time  for 
chapel. 

Tack  did  not  attend  very  much  to  the  service  that 
morning. 

His  thoughts  were  diverted  from  religious  exercises, 
and  some  excuse  must  be  made  for  him  when  we  consider 
the  excitement  he  had  passed  through. 

Garden  linked  his  arm  in  his  as  they  left  the  chapel,  and 
said — 

"You  will  breakfast  with  me?  " 

"Thanks,"  replied  Jack,  "I  don't  like  to  trespass  on 
your  good  nature.  You  must  be  tired,  as  you  have  been 
up  all  night,  on  my  account,  too.  I  suppose  you  will 
shirk  lectures  and  turn  in  ?  " 

"  No  ;  I  shall  go  to  lectures,  and  sleep  there  if  I  feel 
tired,  but,  in  fact,  at  our  ages  a  man  never  ought  to  feel 
tired.  You  must  come  with  me  because  I  have  some- 
thing to  tell  you." 

"Touching  what?" 

"I  shan't  say  a  word  till  you've  fed.  Then  you  shall 
know  my  secret." 

Totally  ignorant  of  his  meaning,  and  thinking  that  his 
friend  was  only  joking  with  him,  Jack  went  to  breakfast, 
to  which  he  did  ploughman's  justice. 

"Now,"  said  Garden,  lighting  a  cigar,  "we  will  proceed 
to  revelations.  Don't  you  smoke  ?  " 

"Yes;  I  shall  put  on  a  modest  pipe,"  replied  Jack, 
charging  his  well-blacked  meerschaum  with  Bristol  bird's- 
eye. 

'  Don't  be  alarmed  at  what  I  am  going  to  tell  you." 

" That  depends.     What  is  it?" 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  233 

"You  are  spooney  on  a  little  girl  named  Emily,  at 
Oakley  Wood/' 

' '  Mrs.  Travers's  place.  She  is  governess  there.  What 
of  her?  "  cried  Jack,  excitedly. 

"She  has  been  missing  since  yesterday  morning." 

"  Who  told  you  this  ?" 

"  Harvey.  He  saw  a  messenger  last  night  from  Oakley 
Wood." 

"Why  did  you  not  let  me  know  at  once?  It  was 
wrong  of  you  ;  very  wrong,  indeed,"  said  Jack. 

"No,  it  was  not,  and  I  will  tell  you  why.  If  you  had 
known  it  you  would  have  been  no  good  in  the  duel  this 
morning,  and  got  pinked  instead  of  Tollington." 

"It  is  very  odd,"  said  Jack,  musingly.  "First  of  all 
Hilda  Man  asses  vanishes,  and  then  Emily.  Who  can 
have  done  it?  " 

"  I  think  Mr.  Kemp  knows  more  about  it  than  he  would 
like  to  tell." 

"Why?" 

"Because  he  wanted  me  to  mention  it  to  you  just 
before  the  duel  began," 

"  Did  he  !  Then  it's  a  plot  of  Davis's,  I'll  lay  my  life," 
exclaimed  Jack,  adding,  "what  is  to  be  done?" 

He  threw  down  his  pipe  and  groaned. 

His  enemies  had  touched  him  in  a  sore  point  when  they 
attacked  his  darling  Emily. 

They  had  tried  to  make  her  jealous  through  Hilda. 

They  had  endeavoured  to  keep  him  out  of  the  boat  in  the 
'varsity  race. 

Hunston  had  made  an  attempt  on  his  life,  and  they  had 
striven  hard  to  get  Lord  Tollington  to  kill  him. 

In  all  these  attempts  they  had  failed. 

But  at  last  they  had  inflicted  a  wound  on  his  heart 
which  would  take  a  long  time  to  heal. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE      CAPTIVE      MAIDENS. 


THE  secret  of  the  duel  was  well  kept.  Lord  Tollington 
was  reported  to  be  suffering  from  an  attack  of  low  fever, 
not  contagious,  which  in  a  few  weeks  would  be  cured. 


234  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

The  authorities  of  St.  Aldate's  were  far  from  suspecting 
that  a  desperate  duel  had  been  fought  by  two  gentlemen 
in  residence  in  the  college. 

Jack  sent  Monday  every  day  to  inquire  after  the  health 
of  his  injured  opponent,  and  once  or  twice  ventured  to 
make  him  presents  of  grapes  and  flowers. 

These  were  invariably  returned  with  a  polite  message 
by  his  lordship's  scout. 

In  every  way  in  his  power  Jack  tried  to  find  out  what 
had  become  of  Hilda  and  Emily,  but  without  success. 

The  truth  was  that  the  Duke  of  Woodstock  had  em- 
ployed Hunston  to  carry  off  the  beautiful  Jewess. 

Frank  Davis  had  given  him  a  similar  mission  with 
regard  to  Emily. 

Hunston  had  acquitted  himself  well  of  the  double  trust, 
and  received  handsome  payment  for  his  villainy. 

The  two  maidens  had  been  taken  to  a  labourer's  cottage 
a  few  miles  out  of  Oxford. 

This  cottage  was  situated  near  a  wood,  and  being  built 
in  a  secluded  spot,  very  few  people  passed  near  it. 

An  agricultural  labourer,  his  wife  and  two  sons,  lived 
in  it. 

For  a  good  round  sum,  paid  in  advance,  the  labourer 
agreed  to  guard  the  girls. 

He  gave  them  the  three  rooms  at  the  top  of  the  house, 
undertaking  that  they  should  not  escape. 

His  wife  brought  them  their  meals,  and  books  were 
supplied  them  to  beguile  the  monotony  of  their  captivity. 

At  the  bottom  of  the  stairs  an  unusually  fierce  mastiff 
dog  was  chained,  and  he  barked  and  tore  at  the  chain 
when  either  of  the  prisoners  appeared  on  the  stairs. 

The  height  of  the  windows  from  the  ground  rendered 
escape  impossible  in  that  direction. 

Hilda  had  arrived  at  the  cottage  some  hours  before 
Emily,  but  agitated  and  alarmed  as  she  was,  she  hailed 
the  advent  of  a  companion  with  joy. 

After  they  had  been  together  a  few  hours  they  became 
great  friends. 

Emily  fancied  she  had  seen  Hilda  somewhere  before, 
and  told  her  so. 

Then  it  flashed  across  both  their  minds  how  they  had 
met  in  the  Broad  Walk,  when  Hilda  was  hanging  upon 
Jack's  arm. 


JA  CfC  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  235 

They  saw  in  an  instant  they  loved  the  same  man. 

"  Mr.  Harkaway  is  your  sweetheart,  dear,"  said  Hilda. 
"  I  will  not  think  of  him  any  more.  If  I  had  known  this 
at  first,  I  would  not  have  been  so  silly  as  to  love  him." 

"We  cannot  control  our  hearts,"  replied  Emily,  "and 
I  am  sure  you  were  not  to  blame. " 

"  Have  you  forgiven  me  for  seeming  to  step  between 
you  and  your  love?  " 

"Long  ago.  Jack  explained  it  all  to  me.  Let  us  not 
think  of  the  past ;  our  common  danger  is  so  great  that 
we  must  be  sisters  to  each  other." 

"Willingly,  dear  Emily,"  answered  Hilda,  kissing  her 
tenderly.  "  I  wish  Mr.  Harkaway  knew  where  we  are." 

"So  do  I;  he  would  quickly  liberate  us;  but  what  I 
want  to  know  is  why  we  have  been  taken  here,  and  with 
what  object." 

"Can  you  think  of  no  one  who  has  perscuteed  you  with 
his  attentions  ?  " 

"There  is  only  Frank  Davis  from  Singapore  ;  he  carried 
me  off  once  before — it  may  be  he  ;  and  you,  dear,  have 
you  no  tiresome  lover?  Surely,  with  your  beauty,  you 
must  have  many  admirers." 

"The  Duke  of  Woodstock  has  been  paying  me  atten- 
tions, but  I  have  given  him  no  encouragement  because  I 
fancied  he  was  not  honourable.  The  money-lender's 
daughter,  the  Jewess,  belonging  to  a  despised  race,  is  no 
match  for  a  duke  of  England,"  replied  Hilda. 

"And  if  she  were,  would  you  wed?"  asked  Emily, 
smiling. 

"Perhaps — I  know  not,"  answered  Hilda  in  some  con- 
fusion. "Now  I  know  Mr.  Harkaway  can  never  be 
mine,  I  might  do  worse  than  marry  a  handsome  young 
gentleman  for  his  money  and  title." 

"If  it  should  be  as  you  suspect,"  replied  Emily,  "we 
will  try  and  frighten  his  grace  into  matrimony.  I  feel 
persuaded  our  friends  will  find  us,  and  perhaps  his  lord" 
ship  would  prefer  to  marry  the  beautiful  Hilda,  rathei 
than  be  publicly  prosecuted  for  what  the  law  calls  abduc- 
tion. As  for  Mr.  Davis,  I  will  not  rest  satisfied  until  tha 
authorities  expel  him  from  Oxford." 

Hilda  regarded  her  courageous  friend  with  admira< 
tion. 

"  How  brave  you  are,  dear,"  she  said. 


236  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  If  you  had  met  with  the  startling  adventures  I  did 
after  I  was  wrecked,  you  would  know  how  to  think  and 
act  in  an  emergency  likethis,"  replied  Emily. 

Then  she  related  several  incidents  of  their  stay  in  Pisang, 
praising  Jack  unavoidably  for  the  share  he  took  in  them, 
till  Hilda's  face  glowed,  and  she  felt  that  Harkaway  was 
worthy  of  any  woman's  love,  for  he  was  a  hero,  without 
fear  and  without  reproach. 

A  week  passed  without  the  girls  seeing  any  one,  or 
being  able  to  glean  any  intelligence  from  the  old  woman 
who  attended  to  their  wants. 

Their  alarm  increased  as  the  time  glided  by. 

At  length  their  doubts  were  put  an  end  to  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  Duke  of  Woodstock  and  Frank  Davis,  who 
entered  the  little  sitting-room  together. 

It  was  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

The  day  had  been  foggy  and  cloudy. 

Rain  was  falling  heavily,  and  without  all  was  as  cold 
and  dreary  as  the  girls'  hearts. 

"  Pardon  our  intrusion  upon  your  charming  privacy, 
young  ladies,"  said  Davis.  "We  could  not  keep  so  much 
loveliness  cooped  up  any  longer  without  coming  to  look 
at  it." 

Hilda  was  too  much  frightened  to  speak. 

But  Emily  was  equal  to  the  occasion. 

"Our  suspicions  were  correct,  it  seems,"  she  said, 
"when  they  pointed  to  you  two  as  our  abductors.  Your 
companion,  I  presume,  is  the  Duke  of  Woodstock  ?  " 

"Aw — no,"  answered  the  duke.  "Fact  is,  name  of 
Smith.  Mr.  Smith  of  London.  Very  common  name — 
aw." 

"Whoever  you  are,"  answered  Emily,  "depend  upon 
it  you  will  have  to  pay  dearly  for  this  outrage." 

"Hope  not,  aw'm  sure,"  said  the  duke.  "Got  no 
money — aw — bad  thing  to  be— aw — without  money." 

"  How  long  do  you  mean  to  keep  us  here,  and  what  is 
your  object,  Mr.  Davis?"  continued  Emily.  "You  and  I 
are  old  enemies.  We  understand  one  another,  and  I  can 
talk  to  you,  but  not  to  that  affected  and  conceited  noble- 
man by  your  side." 

"  Baw  Jove  !"  muttered  the  duke,  "little  girl's  got  a 
good — aw — cheek.  Fancy  she's  giving  it  me — aw — 
wather  stwong. " 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  237 

"Your  question  is  easily  answered,"  replied  Davis. 
"You  will  not  leave  this  place  until  you  are  my  wife." 

"Indeed  !  "  she  said,  with  a-  scornful  curl  o.f  the  lip. 
"You  choose  an  agreeable  way  of  courting.  If  that  is 
your  determination  I  fear  I  shall  spend  the  remainder  of 
my  life  here;  arid  Hilda,  what  is  to  be  her  fate? — the 
same,  I  suppose  ?  " 

' '  Yes  ;  his  grace " 

"Smith,  my  dear  fellow.  You  forget.  Say  Smith," 
put  in  the  duke. 

' '  Nonsense.  They  know  who  you  are, "  rejoined  Davis, 
impatiently.  "The  Duke  of  Woodstock,  I  say,  Miss 
Scratchley,  is  resolved  to  wed  Miss  Hilda." 

"  Whether  she  will  or  not  ?  " 

"Exactly." 

"I  suppose  you  have  some  mock  marriage  in  contem- 
plation, and  have  employed  some  villain  like  yourself  to 
play  the  part  of  priest." 

"No,  on  my  honour." 

"Your  honour!"  repeated  Emily,  satirically.  "Do 
you  want  to  make  me  laugh?  Honour  and  you  have 
been  on  distant  terms  for  some  time  past." 

"You  are  severe,"  said  Davis,  biting  his  lip. 

"Am  I  ?  "  she  replied.  "I  feel  glad  you  think  so. 
Now  hear  me,  Mr.  Davis  ;  if  we  are  not  instantly  released, 
we  will  raise  such  a  hornet's  nest  about  both  of  you,  that 
you  shall  be  in  prison  before  long." 

Davis  laughed. 

"It  is  very  well  to  threaten,  but  you  must  remember 
that  you  are  in  our  power.  Think  of  the  concern  of  your 
friends  at  your  disappearance." 

"That  reflection  only  embitters  me  more  against 
you. " 

"Perhaps  we  have  behaved  rather  harshly,"  Davis  went 
on;  "yet  you  ought  to  excuse  us,  when  you  recollect 
how  dearly  we  love  you." 

"Love  !  " 

"  Yes,  indeed.  I  am  dying  with  love  for  you,  and  the 
Duke  of  Woodstock  is  so  smitten  with  Hilda's  charms,  that 
he  does  nothing  but  rave  about  her  all  day." 

"Truth  that ;  it  is,  baw  Jove  !  "  replied  the  duke.  "  I'd 
give  a  thou.  now,  for  a  kiss  ;  fact,  I  assuaw  you." 

"  We  will  have  nothing  to   say   to   you   or   your   love 


338  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

either,"  said  Emily.  "Take  it  where  it  will  be  thought 
more  of." 

"Perhaps,"  said  Davis  bitterly,  "as  the  weeks  slip 
away,  and  the  long  months  of  your  captivity  follow  one 
another,  you  will  speak  more  civilly." 

"What?"  replied  Emily  ;  "do  you  think  that  anything 
\vould  induce  us  to  speak  civilly,  as  you  call  it,  to  such 
villains  as  you  have  proved  yourselves  to  be.  We  are 
only  polite  to  gentlemen,  and  not  to  ruffians  who  disgrace 
themselves  by  persecuting  helpless  girls." 

"Your  very  helplessness  ought  to  be  an  argument  in 
our  favour." 

"  k  is  not ;  and  perhaps  we  are  not  so  utterly  defence- 
less as  you  imagine.  Perhaps  Mr.  Harkaway  is  not  so 
far  from  this  spot  now,"  said  Emily. 

She  did  not  hope  indeed  for  any  such  good  luck.    ' 

It  was  a  random  shot,  fired  with  the  intention  of  fright- 
ening her  visitors. 

"Have  you  any  reason  to  expect  Harkaway?"  said 
Davis,  turning  white. 

"  I  shall  answer  no  questions. " 

"Jove!"  exclaimed  the  duke.  "  Bettaw  be  off; 
shouldn't  like  to  meet  that  fellah  Harkaway  here — deuced 
— aw — disagweeable  thing  that." 

"  Pray  don't  go,"  said  Emily,  laughing  in  her  sleeve. 
"  I  should  like  to  see  you  face  a  genuine  man." 

"Think  bettaw  go,  come  another  time — aw,"  cried  the 
duke. 

He  was  restless  and  uneasy. 

"I  fancied  I  saw  three  fellows  following  us,  and  I  sus- 
pected they  were  Dawson,  Harvey  and  Harkaway.  One 
was  running  after  us,"  remarked  Davis. 

"Awkward,  vewy,  if  they  happen  to — aw — spot  us." 

"  Well,"  continued  Davis,  "we  will  go,  but  you  may 
expect  us  again  to-morrow,  ladies." 

"  Let's  have — aw — one  kiss  before  we  part,"  said  the 
duke,  with  an  amorous  glance  in  Hilda's  direction. 
"  Dash  my — aw — buttons,  but  one  kiss." 

Hilda  had  been  crouching  up  in  a  corner. 

He  advanced  to  the  lovely  Jewess,  and  tried  to  kiss 
her. 

She  shrieked  loudly,  and  beat  him  back  with  her  hands, 
and  struggled  furiously. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  239 

"Can't  do  better  than  follow  a  good  example,"  re- 
marked Frank  Davis ;  "one  kiss  from  your  pretty  lips, 
Emily/' 

Emily,  however,  was  not  inclined  to  gratify  him. 

She  ran  to  the  window,  threw  it  open,  and  cried  loudly 
for  assistance. 

"Help,  help!"  she  screamed.  "We  shall  be  mur- 
dered !  Help,  help  !  " 

Davis's  arm  was  round  her  waist 

She  felt  his  hot  breath  on  her  cheek. 

"By  Heaven  I  "  he  cried,  "I  will  have  a  kiss,  if  I  die 
for  it. " 

Suddenly  a  voice  sxclaimed — 

"All  right,  Emily.  Hold  on  a  minute.  I'ro  here,  and 
two  more  not  far  off." 

Emily  uttered  a  cry  of  joy. 

Then  she  fell  down  in  a  swoon. 

The  man  who  had  answered  her  desperate  appeal  for 
help  was  Harkaway. 

He  was  coming  along  at  the  double  to  the  rescue. 

When  he  spoke  he  was  only  a  few  yards  off  the 
cottage. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

STORMING     THE      COTTAGE. 

FRANK  DAVIS  was  right  when  he  fancied  that  he  and  the 
Duke  of  Woodstock  were  followed  as  they  left  Oxford. 

They  drove  quickly  in  a  phaeton  which  they  had  left  in 
the  road. 

But  swiftly  as  they  went,  they  were  not  fast  enough  for 
Jack. 

His  wind  was  in  excellent  order,  and  he  kept  the  car- 
riage in  sight  all  the  way  till  it  stopped. 

Then  he  followed  its  occupants  to  the  cottage,  and 
waited  for  Sir  Sydney  Dawson  and  Harvey  to  come  up. 

He  would  have  gone  to  the  cottage  at  once,  had  he  not 
feared  to  do  so  single-handed. 

After  long  consideration,  his  suspicions  pointed  to 
Davis. 

"Watch  him,"  said  Dawson. 


240  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Harvey  agreed  with  his  opinion. 

The  consequence  was  that  Davis  and  the  duke  were 
seen  to  leave  the  college  together,  and  pursued  with  the 
successful  result  we  have  indicated. 

Jack  would  not  have  made  his  presence  known  unless 
Emily  had  appealed  for  help  as  she  did. 

Then  he  could  bear  the  suspense  no  longer. 

Dawson  and  Harvey,  not  being  such  good  runners, 
were  a  little  way  behind  him. 

But  they,  too,  heard  the  piteous  scream,  and  rushed  on 
with  renewed  vigour. 

The  two  sons  of  the  labourer  to  whom  the  cottage  be- 
longed had  just  come  home  from  work. 

As  it  was  such  a  wet  and  miserable  day  they  left  off 
earlier  than  usual. 

Davis  saw  the  danger  in  which  he  was  placed. 

"Mind  the  girls,"  he  exclaimed  to  Woodstock,  and 
rushed  downstairs. 

"Barricade  the  doors  back  and  front,"  he  called  to 
the  men.  "You  shall  have  five  pounds  apiece  if  you  will 
do  what  I  tell  you." 

This  was  a  large  sum  of  money  to  people  in  then 
position. 

They  obeyed  his  commands  with  alacrity. 

The  doors  were  made  safe  from  an  attack  from  without 
by  heavy  iron  bars. 

In  a  short  space  the  wdndows  were  also  secured,  and 
chairs  placed  against  them,  backed  up  with  bedding  to 
prevent  the  entrance  of  stones  or  bricks. 

"  Now,  my  fine  fellows,  kick  it  out  till  you  are  tired,* 
said  Davis,  looking  round  complacently. 

He  was  joined  by  the  duke. 

"Both — aw — women  fainted.  Thought  it  best  to — aw 
— leave  them,"  he  said. 

"Never  mind  them  at  present,"  replied  Davis. 

"What's — aw — this  wow  ? " 

"  Harkaway  and  some  friends  of  his  hare  followed  and 
found  us  out.  He  knows  Emily  is  here,  because  he  heard 
her  scream. " 

"  Heawd  her  scweam.  Deuced  awkward  fix — aw," 
said  the  duke. 

"We  must  stand  a  siege,  that's  all  Bother  that  man 
Harkaway:  he's  always  got  the  kick  on  his  side." 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  2  4 1 

"  Wondaw,"  said  the  duke,  "if these  people  have — aw 
— got  any  liquor." 

"Not  they,"  answered  Davis.  "They  are  too  poor. 
Think  of  our  position.  How  aie  we  to  get  out  of  this 
scrape? " 

"Beastly  awkward  scwape.  Think  shall  cut  the — aw 
— university,  and  take  a  cruise  in  my — aw — yacht  some- 
where down  the — aw — Mediterwanean  way." 

"  What  is  a  poor  beggar  like  me  to  do?  I  wish  I  had 
never  mixed  myself  up  in  the  mess,"  said  Davis,  biting 
his  nails  with  vexation. 

"Your  governaw  is  rich — aw." 

"I  know  that;  but  he'll  have  me  back  again  to  that 
beastly  Singapore,  which  I  hate,  if  I  am  sent  away  from 
Oxford. " 

"Nevaw  mind.  Come  with  me — aw — we'll  enjoy  our- 
selves. Both  aw  Oxford.  What's  Oxford — aw — to  us?" 
said  the  duke. 

His  further  utterance  was  cut  short  by  a  furious  attack 
upon  the  door. 

"Pound  away,"  exclaimed  Davis.  "  It  can  stand  all 
that." 

Jack  had  been  joined  by  Sir  Sydney  Dawson  and 
Harvey. 

Briefly  he  explained  to  them  what  had  taken  place. 

Their  blood  boiled  at  the  thought  of  the  helpless  girls 
who  were  probably  being  insulted  by  their  cowardly 
abductors. 

Presently  the  knocking  ceased. 

"  Within  there  !  "  exclaimed  Jack 

"Don't  answer  him,"  whispered  Davis. 

"  Open  the  door,  or  we'll  break  it  in,"  cried  Jack. 

There  was  no  reply. 

Again  the  hammering  commenced. 

It  lasted  a  good  ten  minutes,  when  the  assailants  saw 
that  it  was  useless  to  continue  the  attack  in  that  direction. 

For  some  time  there  was  a  dead  silence. 

Then  the  chairs  and  bedding  fell  down,  and  a  dark  form 
appeared  on  the  sill. 

It  was  Sir  Sydney  Dawson,  armed  with  a  thick  stick. 

Immediately  it  was  seen  that  they  were  taken  by  sur- 
prise, the  two  sons  of  the  labourer  rushed  to  the  threat- 
ened point. 
16 


242  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Each  fell  to  the  ground  from  a  well  directed  blow  oi 
Sir  Sydney. 

"  Who  is  the  next  gentleman  ?  "  he  exclaimed,  blandly. 

Davis  took  up  a  large  kettle  and  threw  it  at  him. 

It  struck  him  on  the  chest,  and  he  fell  back  on  the  grass, 
having  lost  his  balance. 

He  was  up  again,  however,  before  they  could  close  the 
window. 

"Thank  you,"  he  said.  "perhaps  you  will  oblige  me 
again. " 

The  labourer  himself  now  attacked  him  with  a  spade. 

It  appeared  to  be  Dawson's  object  to  divert  the  atten- 
tion of  those  in  the  cottage,  for  he  contented  himself  with 
parrying  the  blows  with  the  spade  and  chaffing  those 
inside. 

"Quite  a  family  party,"  he  said.  "Sorry  to  disturb 
you.  What,  you  won't  be  quiet,  old  gentleman  ?  Take 
that,  then,  in  return  for  the  last  prod  you  gave  me  on  the 
shins,  which  is  somewhat  painful.  Down  again  !  Who 
is  the  next  gentleman  ?  " 

The  labourer  had  his  head  broken  by  a  well-directed 
blow  from  Dawson's  bludgeon,  and  he  joined  his  two  sons. 

Davis  picked  up  a  poker,  and  took  up  the  battle,  but 
Dawson,  being  perched  on  the  window-sill,  had  the 
advantage  of  fighting  from  a  superior  height. 

The  contest  went  on  between  them  for  some  time, 
Daxvson  receiving  a  few  blows,  and  Davis  at  last  getting 
one  on  the  sword  arm,  which  made  it  fall  helpless  by  his 
side. 

With  a  fierce  howl  he  withdrew,  and  the  poker  slipped 
from  his  hand. 

"Thank  you.  Sold  again  and  got  the  money.  Who 
is  the  next  gentleman  ? "  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney,  with  his 
habitual  smile. 

No  one  answered. 

"  My  lord  duke,"  he  continued,  addressing  his  grace,  who 
"had  taken  no  part  in  the  combat,  "  can  I  oblige  you  ?  " 

"Aw — thank  you,  not  at  pwesent.  Not  a  fighting  man, 
you  see — aw,"  replied  tke  duke. 

A  low  whistle  was  heard  outside. 

"  Mr.  Davis,"   said  Dawson. 

"What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Davis,  sullenly. 

"I think  I  have  made  a  very  clever  diversion  for  my 


JA CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  2 43 

two  friends,  Mr.  Harkaway  and  Harvey.  While  I  have 
been  amusing  myself  with  the  inmates  of  the  garrison, 
they  have,  by  the  aid  of  Providence  and  a  ladder,  rescued 
the  two  ladies  whom  you  held  in  captivity  in  an  upper 
chamber." 

"Deuce  take  them  !  "  cried  Davis,  livid  with  rage. 

"  In  two  minutes  they  will  be  on  the  road  to  Ox  ford  in 
your  carriage,  being  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Harvey." 

"  Ten  thousand  furies  !  "  almost  shrieked  Davis.  "  Do 
you  want  to  madden  me  ?  " 

"Pardon  me;  one  minute  more.  Mr.  Harkaway  and 
myself  remain  behind  for  the  express  purpose  of  setting  fire 
to  this  cottage  in  two  places,  and  burning  it  to  the 
ground." 

"  You  dare  not." 

"Time  will  show,"  replied  Sir  Sydney,  adding,  "when 
we  return  to  Oxford,  your  conduct  will  be  laid  before  the 
authorities  ;  proceedings  will  be  taken  criminally  against 
you  ;  and  if  the  Duke  of  Woodstock  does  not  marry  Miss 
Hilda  Manasses,  a  long  term  of  imprisonment  will  prob- 
ably await  his  amorous  grace." 

"  Mawy  a  Jewess,"  replied  the  duke;  "that's  a  neat 
idea." 

"  It  will  be  a  case  of  the  Jewess  or  the  gaol,  my  lord. 
While  to  Mr.  Davis  no  mercy  at  all  will  be  shown,  and  if 
he  is  wise,  he  will  not  return  to  the  college  at  all." 

He  turned  his  head  to  speak  to  Jack. 

Then  he  resumed — 

' '  Mr.  Harkaway  informs  me  that  the  ladies  have  started, 
and  that  he  Is  quite  prepared  with  dry  straw  and  matches. 
I  have  the  honour  to  hope,  gentlemen,  that  you  will 
enjoy  the  little  fire  we  intend  to  light  for  you." 

Sir  Sydney  disappeared  from  the  window. 

His  antagonists  were  dumfounded. 

The  labourer  and  his  sons  were  on  their  legs,  and  rub- 
bing their  hands  with  their  knuckles,  while  they  looked 
round  them  in  some  confusion. 

Davis  ran  upstairs. 

The  rooms  were  empty. 

A  ladder  stood  against  the  window,  and  he  saw  that  Sir 
Sydney  Dawson  had  not  misled  him. 

While  he  was  engaging  their  attention  below,  the  birds 
had  flown. 


244  JACK  HARK  A  WA  YA   T  OXFORD. 

"The  game's  up,"  he  muttered.  "I  shall  go  to  Lon- 
don. Oxford  is  no  longer  the  place  for  me.  As  for  Wood- 
stock, he'd  better  marry  the  Jewess,  or  get  out  of  it  as  he 
can." 

Suddenly  a  smell  of  fire  ascended  the  stairs,  which  was 
followed  by  a  dense  smoke. 

"By  Heaven  !  "  he  cried,  "they  have  set  the  cottage 
on  fire." 

He  was  right. 

Harkaway  and  Dawson  had  set  light  to  the  vile  den  in 
two  different  places. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

THE    MATCH   AT   L  O  R  D  ?S. 

FEELING  satisfied  that  Harkaway  and  Dawson  really  had 
set  fire  to  the  cottage,  Davis  did  the  most  clever  thing  he 
could  under  the  circumstances. 

He  got  out  of  the  window,  and  descended  by  the 
ladder  which  had  enabled  Emily  and  Hilda  to  escape. 

About  the  same  time,  those  on  the  ground  floor  of  the 
cottage,  not  wishing  to  be  suffocated  like  rats  in  a  drain, 
opened  the  door. 

They  were  just  in  time. 

The  flames  had  caught  the  old  tumble-down  place  in 
two  quarters,  and  were  already  raging  furiously. 

With  a  sort  of  stupor  the  labourer  and  his  family  gazed 
at  the  work  of  devastation. 

They  were  losing  their  all,  but  they  had  richly  de- 
served it. 

Rousing  himself  at  last,  the  old  man  went  up  to  Jack, 
who  was  standing  a  short  distance  off,  watching  the  con- 
flagration with  folded  arms. 

By  his  side  was  Sir  Sydney. 

Frank  Davis  and  the  Duke  of  Woodstock,  heartily 
ashamed  of  themselves,  slunk  off  together. 

'It  be  you  who  ha'  done  this,"  exclaimed  the  labourer, 

'  Yes,"  replied  Jack. 

'  What  beest  thy  naam  ? " 

'  Mr.  Harkaway,  of  St.  Aldate's." 

Til  make  'ee  paay  for  it,"  said  the  old  man,  angrily. 


JA CK  HA RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  245 

"If  you  want  compensation  for  what  I  have  done, 
you  should  apply  to  your  noble  employer,  the  Duke  of 
Woodstock,  who  has  just  left  your  burning  cottage. " 

"Be'e  the  Dook  of  Woodstock?"  cried  the  labourer, 
in  surprise. 

"Yes.  And  as  he  hired  you  to  do  a  dirty  action,  for 
which  you  ought  to  be  kicked,  and  are  justly  punished,  he 
should  see  you  through  it,  and  not  let  you  suffer  for  the 
result.  You  will  get  no  compensation  out  of  me — not  a  rap. " 

"Hey  !  and  why  noat  ?  " 

"I  will  tell  you,  my  man,"  continued  Jack.  "You 
have  detained  two  young  ladies  in  your  house  in  a  most 
unjustifiable  manner.  You  kept  them  prisoners  against 
their  will,  and  any  magistrate  in  England  would  say  it 
served  you  right  if  you  lose  everything  you  have  got." 

"  We  be  turned  out  of  house  and  hoam." 

"All  your  own  fault.     See  your  employers." 

Jack  turned  on  his  heel,  and  taking  Dawson's  arm, 
walked  back  to  Oxford,  talking  as  he  went  about  what 
had  happened. 

He  was  furiously  enraged  against  Davis  and  the  duke, 
but  delighted  beyond  measure  at  having  rescued  the  girls 
after  all. 

The  flames  of  the  burning  cottage  lit  up  the  surrounding 
country  for  a  time. 

Then  all  was  desolate  and  dull  again. 

The  cottagers  were  ruined,  but,  as  Jack  said,  it  served 
them  right. 

In  the  end  they  obtained  a  sum  of  money  from  the 
duke,  and  were  better  off  than  they  were  before. 

Emily  returned  to  her  situation  at  Oakley  Wood. 

Hilda  went  to  her  father,  who  was  full  of  gratitude. 

He  told  Jack  that  his  fortune  was  at  his  disposal.  Once 
he  had  saved  his  daughter's  life,  now  he  had  saved  her 
honour. 

Frank  Davis  did  not  show  up  again  in  the  university. 

He  vanished,  and  no  one  knew  where  he  went  to. 

Threats  of  exposure  and  a  prosecution  induced  the  Duke 
of  Woodstock  to  marry  the  fair  Hilda. 

She  did  not  love  him,  but  knowing  she  could  never  be 
Jack's  wife,  she  made  the  best  of  her  lot,  and  became 
a  duchess. 

This  pleased  old  Manaaae*  immensely. 


246  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

The  duke  did  not  continue  to  reside  in  the  university. 

He  went  abroad  with  his  beautiful  bride,  and  when  his 
friends  became  reconciled  to  the  match,  it  was  admitted 
on  all  hands  that  he  might  have  done  worse. 

Manasses  gave  his  daughter  a  hundred  thousand  pounds, 
which  was  a  noble  fortune,  as  the  Duke  of  Woodstock's 
title  was  not  a  rich  one. 

"He  could — aw — draw  upon  the  old  man,"  he  re- 
marked, "  if  he — aw — evaw  became  hard  up.  Something 
— aw — to  have  a  rich — aw — father-in-law." 

This  was  a  consolation  to  his  grace's  mind. 

Jack  congratulated  himself  upon  getting  rid  of  one  of 
his  enemies. 

Hunston  was  not  seen  again  in  Oxford  after  this  affair, 
in  which  he  played  such  a  base  part. 

It  was  supposed  he  had  made  himself  scarce,  fearing 
the  law  would  be  put  in  motion  against  him. 

So  only  Kemp  remained  behind  to  be  a  thorn  in  Hark- 
away's  side. 

Davis,  however,  did  not  leave  England. 

It  was  destined  that  he  should  still  influence  Harkaway's 
career  in  a  most  remarkable  and  romantic  manner,  as 
will  be  related  as  we  proceed. 

May  passed,  and  the  lovely  summer  time  commenced, 
so  favourable  to  cricket. 

Jack  had  not  forgotten  his  school  days,  and  it  was 
found  that  he  was  such  a  good  batsman  that  he  was  put 
in  the  eleven.  Bowling  was  not  his  strong  point,  but  he 
was  an  excellent  field,  and  could  throw  up  against  any 
one  at  Oxford. 

Every  one  looked  forward  with  considerable  interest  to 
the  great  annual  match  between  Oxford  and  Cambridge 
at  Lord's  ground  in  London. 

Sir  Sydney  Dawson,  Harvey,  and  Garden,  and  a  host 
of  other  men,  obtained  leave  to  go  up  to  town  to  witness 
the  match. 

Great  expectations  were  formed  respecting  the  Oxford 
team,  which  was  a  capital  eleven. 

Cambridge  had  been  victorious  for  two  years  in  succes- 
sion, and  it  was  hoped  that  this  time  Oxford  would  re- 
verse the  verdict,  and  score  a  victory. 

Mr.  Bedington,  his  wife,  and  Emily,  were  all  in  London, 
staying  at  the  Langham  Hotel,  where  Jack  joined  them. 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  247 

They  had  their  carriage  sent  into  the  ground  overnight, 
and  took  up  their  position  in  the  front  row  about  eleven. 

At  twelve  the  wickets  were  pitched,  and  Oxford,  having 
won  the  toss,  they  elected  to  go  in. 

The  morning  was  a  lovely  one.  If  anything,  the  sun 
was  a  little  too  hot ;  but  that  was  better  than  having  rain. 

Vast  crowds  of  spectators  thronged  the  ground,  and  the 
applause  was  great  when  the  Oxford  captain  sent  Hark- 
away  and  the  Honourable  H.  Cavendish  to  the  wickets. 

Play  began.  In  the  first  over  Cavendish  was  caught  off 
his  bat  by  the  wicket-keeper.  Loud  cheers  arose  from 
the  Cantabs.  No  runs  for  one  wicket.  Tom  Garden 
went  in  next. 

He  was  not  a  brilliant  player,  but  cautious  and  steady. 

He  puzzled  the  bowling  by  his  defence,  and  was  fond 
of  blocking  the  ball,  and  making  ones  off  tips. 

By  this  time  Jack  had  mastered  the  bowling,  and  began 
to  play. 

His  first  hit  was  a  fine  cut  to  leg  for  four,  well  run. 

Then  he  made  several  singles,  being  well  assisted  by 
Garden. 

Two  maiden  overs  followed,  but  Jack,  getting  well  on 
to  the  ball,  drove  it  to  the  pavilion  for  six. 

For  fully  an  hour  the  two  boating  men  faced  one 
another. 

It  was  a  tedious  piece  of  leather-hunting  for  the  Can- 
tabs,  as  the  ball  went  all  over  the  field. 

At  length  Garden  was  clean  bowled,  stumps  flying,  and 
bails  being  scattered. 

"  How's  that,  umpire?"  cried  the  delighted  captain  of 
Cambridge. 

"  Out,"  was  the  stolid  reply. 

Up  went  the  ball  high  in  the  air,  amidst  the  cheers  of 
the  spectators. 

Garden  was  much  applauded,  as  he  had  played  a  very 
steady  innings  of  twenty-seven. 

The  score  with  wides  and  byes,  now  stood  at  fifty- 
nine  for  two  wickets. 

Harvey,  who  was  also  in  the  eleven,  went  in  next 

His  career  was  a  short  but  a  brilliant  one. 

He  made  four  threes,  a  six,  two  fours,  and  seven  singles. 

Jack's  score  was  rising  rapidly,  and  as  Harvey  went 
out,  the  100  went  up  amidst  loud  cheering. 


248  JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Soon  afterwards  there  was  an  adjournment  for  luncheon, 
and  in  the  pavilion  Jack  was  congratulated  upon  his 
play. 

"  Carry  your  bat  out,  old  man,"  said  Dawson,  "  and 
we  shall  lick  them  in  one  innings." 

"  I  feel  as  if  I  could  do  anything  to-day,"  replied 
Jack,  confidently. 

After  luncheon  he  went  in  again,  having  Lord  Tabley 
facing  him. 

Tabley  was  the  captain  of  the  eleven,  and  great  things 
were  expected  of  the  two. 

Nor  did  they  disappoint  their  admirers. 

The  score  rose  steadily  to  200,  of  which  Jack  had  con- 
tributed half. 

When  his  three  figures  were  telegraphed  the  shouting 
might  have  been  heard  in  Regent's  Park. . 

"  Isn't  Jack  playing  a  fine  innings  ?  "  remarked  Harvey 
to  Mr.  Bedington,  over  the  side  of  whose  carriage  he  was 
leaning. 

"  Splendid  !     Jack's  a  fine  fellow,"  replied  his  father. 

Emily's  face  flushed  at  hearing  her  lover  praised. 

"  Have  some  champagne,  Harvey.  It  won't  hurt  you 
this  hot  day,"  said  Mr.  Bedington. 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  replied  Dick,  a§  the  servant  handed 
him  some  wine  deliciously  iced. 

"  Jack  will  become  quite  famous  in  sporting  and 
athletic  circles,  will  he  not?"  said  Emily,  "since  his 
name  is  getting  in  the  papers  as  a  boating  and  cricketing 
man  of  great  promise." 

' '  I  hope  it  won't  make  him  forget  his  reading, "  remarked 
Mr.  Bedington. 

"  Not  it,  sir.  Jack  sticks  to  his  lectures  like  a  leech, 
and  has  a  coach,  too.  He'll  come  out  a  double  first  in  the 
school,  you  see  if  he  doesn't,"  cried  Harvey,  who  firmly 
believed  his  dear  old  friend  to  be  an  Admirable  Crichton, 
capable  of  doing  everything,  and  doing  it  well,  too. 

Steadily  the  play  went  on. 

Lord  Tabley  went  out  for  fifty. 

Still  the  score  rose. 

Three  hundred  were  marked,  and  there  were  yet  two 
wickets  to  go  down. 

It  seemed  as  if  Jack  would  carry  his  bat  out  after  all, 
and  he  dearly  wished  to  manage  the  achievement,  which 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  249 

is  so  much  prized  amongst  cricketers,  but  so  very  seldom 
accomplished. 

Exactly  at  twenty  minutes  past  four,  the  last  Oxford 
*Tian  was  bowled. 

Jack  carried  his  bat  out  for  175,  and  the  grand  total  of 
{he  Oxford  eleven  was  391. 

"  Let  them  beat  that  if  they  can,"  shouts  Oxford,  ex- 
citedly. "Bravo,  Harkaway  !  Well  played  indeed,  sir. 
Hurrah  for  Harkaway  !  " 

With  difficulty  Jack  kept  the  crowd  off,  and  he  was  glad 
when  his  sympathising  friends  were  driven  back,  as  the 
two  first  Can  tabs  came  in. 

Jack  was  "  long  off." 

The  fielding  of  Oxford  was  as  good  as  her  batting,  and 
the  bowling  as  true  as  a  die. 

There  was  no  trifling  with  it. 

Twenty-two  eyes  followed  every  movement  of  the  ball 
— twenty-two  arms  and  hands  were  ever  on  the  alert,  and 
as  many  legs  were  ready  to  run  like  steam  engines  at 
the  slightest  provocation. 

Up  goes  the  ball,  high  in  the  air — a  perfect  skyer. 

It  travels  towards  Jack,  and  threatens  to  go  over  his  head 
into  the  crowd  beyond. 

He  runs  back  to  stop  it,  keeping  his  eyes  fixed  on  the 
flying  disc. 

He'll  miss  it,"  said  the  crowd. 

No,  he  won't." 

Yes,  he  will." 

No,  no." 

By  Jove  !  he's  got  it." 

And  again  the  throng  shouts  itself  hoarse  as  it  says — 

"  Bravo,  Harkaway!     Well  caught,  by  Jove,  sir." 

Jack  had  sprung  clean  up  a  foot  or  two  from  the  ground, 
and  caught  the  skyer  with  his  left  hand  in  grand  style. 

Then  went  out  the  hope  of  the  Cambridge  eleven. 

The  best  bat  they  had,  the  pride  of  the  eleven,  and  the 
hope  of  the  university. 

Four  wickets  went  down  for  sixty,  and  then  Jack  had 
another  chance  of  distinguishing  himself. 

A  tremendous  drive  came  towards  him. 

He  ran  up  and  stopped  it. 

"  Well  hit,  well  hit ;  run  it  out,"  cried  the  Cambridge 
men.  "  Run  it  out !  " 


250  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Jack  saw  his  chance,  and  took  a  shot  at  the  stumps, 
which,  considering  the  distance,  was  a  dangerous  thing 
to  do. 

Knowing  what  Jack  was  capable  of,  the  wicket-keeper 
returned  to  the  other  side,  and  did  not  attempt  to  stop  the 
ball. 

The  stumps  were  hit,  and  flew  about  like  pieces  of 
animated  wood. 

In  surprise,  the  batsman  stopped  and  stared  half  way. 

He  was  out. 

Again  the  crowd  shouts  itself  hoarse,  and  the  reporters 
in  the  press  tent  make  a  note  for  publication  of  this  clever 
bit  of  fielding  on  the  part  of  Harkaway. 

At  six  the  Cambridge  men  were  all  out  for  the  paltry 
amount  of  120. 

They  followed  their  innings. 

When  the  stumps  were  drawn,  they  had  three  wickets 
down  for  eighty. 

Jack  was  a  hero  that  evening,  and  went  to  the  play  with 
his  friends. 

The  next  day  the  match  was  a  foregone  conclusion. 

By  half-past  one  Cambridge  was  all  out  for  210,  which 
gave  them  a  total  of  330  ;  therefore,  they  lost  the  match 
in  one  innings,  and  Oxford  had  61  to  spare. 

"  If  it  hadn't  been  for  Harkaway,  we  might  have  pulled 
it  off,"  said  the  light  blues,  disconsolately. 

But  it  is  just  such  men  as  Harkaway  who  win  battles 
and  change  the  fortunes  of  nations,  as  well  as  win  boat- 
races  and  cricket  matches. 

The  playground  shows  what  a  man  is  capable  of,  and 
gives  promise  of  what  he  can,  may,  and  will  do  in  the 
great  world. 

Jack  was  a  great  man  in  Oxford  now,  and  may  fairly 
be  called  one  of  the  shining  lights  and  leaders  of  the 
university. 

Soon  afterwards  the  long  vacation  commenced. 

He  went  home,  passing  his  time  in  reading  principally, 
for  he  meant  to  take  high  honours  if  he  could. 

A  trip  to  France  in  August  was  an  agreeable  change, 
and  he  returned  home  in  time  for  the  partridges. 

Being  a  keen  sportsman,  and  a  good  shot,  he  made  sad 
havoc  with  the  birds. 

Harvey  spent  nearly  all  the  vacation  with  him,  and  in 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  25 1 

October  he  visited  Sir  Sydney  Dawson,  and  helped  him 
to  kill  the  pheasants. 

It  was  with  genuine  pleasure  that,  when  the  winter  term 
came,  he  once  more  took  up  his  residence  in  Oxford, 
which  he  loved  so  well. 

His  first  visit  was  to  Moses  Manasses,  to  inquire  after 
his  daughter. 

Hilda  was  at  Baden-Baden  with  her  husband,  the  Duke 
of  Woodstock. 

She  wrote  contentedly,  and  said  that  her  position  abroad 
was  a  magnificent  one  ;  her  pride  was  gratified,  and  she 
found  such  delight  in  continental  society,  that  she  did  not 
care  about  having  married  for  position. 

The  duke  was  kind  to  her. 

Manasses  went  on  making  money,  all  of  which  he 
declared  should  be  his  daughter's. 

"Woodstock,  sir,"  he  remarked,  "shall  be  the  richest 
duke  of  England  when  I  die." 

Jack  believed  he  would  keep  his  word. 

"Ah,  sir,"  added  the  Jew,  "  all  this  monish  might  have 
been  yours,  but  you  are  a  gentleman,  Mr.  Harkaway, 
and  have  behaved  like  one.  God  bless  you,  the  God  of 
Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob  bless  you.  My  daughter 
owes  her  life  and  her  honour  to  you.  I  am  fond  of  mon- 
ish— it  is  my  trade,  but  should  you  want  any,  come  to 
me  ;  my  purse  is  yours. " 

"Thank  you  very  much,"  answered  Jack,  "but  I  hope 
I  am  all  right.  I  don't  bet,  I  don't  gamble,  and  am  not 
extravagant. " 

"You  don't  know,  sir,  what  may  happen.  Come  to 
me — come  to  old  Moses  Manasses,  of  the  Corn  Market, 
Oxford,  if  ever  you  are  pushed  into  a  corner.  So  help 
me,  Mr.  Harkaway,  you  shall  have  a  cheque.  I'll  charge 
you  no  interest,  and  if  ycu  never  pay  me,  I  shall  never 
ask  you." 

"You're  a  good  fellow,  Manasses,"  exclaimed  Jack. 

"No,  I'm  not,"  replied  the  Jew;  "many  would  tell 
you  a  very  different  tale,  but  I'm  genuine  to  you,  sir.  Let 
us  be  friends,  Mr.  Harkaway  ;  I've  got  few  enough." 

"Why?" 

"Because  I'm  a  Jew,  and  lend  money,  that's  all." 

Jack  shook  him  cordially  by  the  hand. 

"I'll  come  in  sometimes,"  he  said,  " and  smoke  a  pipe 


252  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

with  you.  If  you're  a  bad  Jew,  all  I  can  say  is,  I've  met 
many  a  worse  Christian." 

Moses  Manasses  was  delighted  at  this  compliment 

He  repeated  his  offer ;  told  Jack  that  if  it  had  not  been 
for  him  Hilda  would  never  have  been  a  duchess,  and 
ended  by  making  him  accept  a  hundred-pound  note  as  a 
present. 

"  Young  men  never  have  too  much  monish,  Mr.  Hark- 
away,  and  you've  done  me  many  a  good  turn.  Take  it, 
sir.  If  you  don't  I'll — 1  don't  know  what  I'll  do,  but  by 
Abraham  it  will  be  something  dreadful." 

Jack  smiled,  took  the  note,  and  went  to  his  rooms. 

Harvey  was  there,  talking  to  Monday. 

Monday  had  been  given  some  money  by  Jack,  during 
the  "long"  to  travel  about  England,  Scotland  and  Ire- 
land. 

He  came  back  a  great  man  in  his  own  estimation,  for 
he  had  seen  a  great  deal. 

"Oh,  I  say,  Jack,"  exclaimed  Harvey,  "there's  a 
card  for  you. " 

Jack  took  it  and  read — 

"Mr.  Gentle  May." 

"  I  don't  know  any  one  of  that  name,"  he  said. 

"  I  thought  not ;  but  the  cove  said  he  had  a  letter  of 
introduction  to  you." 

"  Is  he  a  freshman  ?  " 

"Yes;  I'll  swear  he  is,  for  a  more  spooney  bloke  I 
never  saw  in  my  life;  he  is  as  soft  as  putty,"  replied 
Harvey. 

' '  Where  is  he  now  ?  " 

"Said  he  would  come  back  in  half-an-hour. " 

"  All  right,"  replied  Jack.      "  Monday  !  " 

"  Sare,"  replied  the  black. 

"Show  Mr.  Gentle  May  in  when  he  calls,  and  order 
me  a  broil  from  the  '  Mitre '  at  six  ;  I  shan't  dine  in  hall 
to-day,"  said  Jack, 


JA  Cfr  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  253 

CHAPTER    XXXIX 

GENTLE    MAY. 

"So  you  are  clearing  off  your  enemies  one  by  one," 
remarked  Harvey.  "Davis  is  gone,  Hunston  has  sloped, 
and  Kemp  doesn't  seem  in  good  form." 

"He  is  poor,"  answered  Jack.  "I  heard  that  his 
father  is  only  a  curate  somewhere  in  Berkshire.  He  must 
have  dropped  a  pot  over  the  boat-race." 

"Old  Mo'  lent  him  some  coin  at  the  time,  and  is  press- 
ing him  for  it." 

"Is  he?  Manasses  would  do  anything  for  me.  I'll 
give  Kemp  a  shove  up  behind  when  I  see  the  Jew,"  said 
Jack. 

"I  would — he  deserves  a  lift;  but  I  don't  think  you 
have  much  to  fear  from  Kemp  now  Davis  is  gone.  Davis 
used  to  pay  Kemp." 

"  I  know,  but  Davis  may  pull  the  strings  from  a  dis- 
tance. From  what  I  know  of  Davis's  character  I  should 
say  he  was  not  a  man  to  give  up  a  hatred  easily,  and  he 
will  be  all  the  more  vindictive  towards  me  now  ;  besides 
he  will  have  nothing  else  to  do  but  to  think  how  he  can 
badger  me." 

"Davis  has  a  rich  father— it's  nice  to  have  a  father," 
said  Harvey,  with  a  laugh  ;  "and  he  will  be  all  right  for 
coin  in  London." 

"  Well,  don't  talk  about  the  beast,"  replied  Jack  impa- 
tiently. "I  don't  want  to  think  of  him;  let  him  slide. 
He  may  be  well  off  or  not ;  I  don't  care,  so  long  as  he 
don't  worry  me.  As  for  Kemp,  if  he  has  to  leave,  his 
only  resource  would  be  skittle  sharping." 

"Or  he  might  turn  billiard-marker, " suggested  Harvey. 

Jack  laughed. 

"  His  game  would  be  plunder  in  some  shape  or  an- 
other," he  said  ;  adding,  "there  is  someone  at  the  door — 
Mr.  May  perhaps.  Wonder  what  sort  of  a  pup  he  is  ? " 

It  was  Mr.  Gentle  May,  who,  preceded  by  Monday, 
entered  the  room  with  a  girl-like  simper  and  an  awkward 
bow. 


«54  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

He  was  about  the  average  height,  had  a  dark  com- 
plexion, which  contrasted  strangely  with  lightish  hair  of 
a  curling  tendency,  parted  in  the  middle  ;  his  moustache 
was  fair;  whiskers  and  beard  he  had  none.  About  his 
mouth  there  was  a  smile,  half  imbecile,  half  cunning,  and 
his  manner  was  confused  and  shy. 

"  Have  I  the  pleasure,"  he  said,  "  of  addressing  Mr. 
Harkaway  of  St.  Aldate's  ?  " 

"  That's  my  name,"  replied  Jack,  "but  I  am  engaged 
with  a  friend.  In  what  way  can  I  serve  you  ?  " 

"Ah,"  replied  Mr.  May,  "dear  mamma  said  I  should 
find  Oxford  very  practical,  and  that  the  men — I  mean  the 
gentlemen  there,  would  soon  make  a  man  of  me.  I  am 
recalled  to  myself.  Thank  you,  Mr.  Harkaway,  for 
reminding  me  that  at  last  my  frail  bark  is  launched  upon 
the  waters  of  the  wide,  wide  world.  Ma  said " 

"Will  you  come  to  the  point,  sir?"  exclaimed  Jack. 

"Ah,  yes,  certainly.  Ma  always  said  I  was  so  dis- 
cursive. You  know,  Mr.  Harkaway,  or  rather  you  do 
not  know  that  I  have  eleven  sisters  ;  I  am  the  only  boy 
in  the  family,  and  they  have  all  made  a  great  pet  of  me." 

"  Glad  to  hear  it.  Pity  you  left  home,  isn't  it?  "said 
Jack. 

"No  ;  I  want  to  be  a  man,  and,  as  I  have  never  been 
to  school,  I  am  rather  soft,  ma  says." 

"  Your  mother  is  right  for  once  in  her  life,  although  I 
have  not  the  honour  of  the  lady's  acquaintance,"  answered 
Jack  impatiently. 

"Oh,  ma  always  is  right,"  answered  Gentle  May  seri- 
ously; "she  and  my  eldest  sister,  Robertina — we  call 
her  Bobby,  Mr.  Harkaway — taught  me  all  I  know,  with 
the  exception  of  the  music,  my  second  sister,  Thomasina 
— we  call  her  Tommy,  Mr.  Harkaway — made  me  learn  ; 
and  I  can  do  Latin  and  Greek,  and  French  and " 

"Come  and  see  me  again  to-morrow,  will  you  ?  "  said 
Jack.  "  You've  been  here  half-an-hour  ;  you  shall  have 
the  same  amount  of  time  each  day  till  the  end  of  the 
week,  and  by  that  time,  if  you  have  not  got  to  your  busi- 
ness, I  shall  turn  you  up." 

"Certainly;  very  kind  of  you,  Mr.  Harkaway.  Good- 
day,  to-morrow  I  will  be  with  you  betimes.  Ma  says 
I'm  so  slow,  and  Bobby's  always  scolding  me  for  not  col- 
lecting my  ideas,"  said  Mr.  Gentle  May. 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD,  255 

"  Monday  !  "  shouted  Jack,  "the  door." 

Monday  let  the  visitor  out,  and  Jack  and  Harvey  began 
to  laugh. 

' '  That's  a  queer  character,  if  you  like, "  said  Jack. 

"  I  can't  believe  any  man  could  be  such  an  ass  at  his 
age — fancy  his  talking  about  his  ma  and  his  sisters.  I 
think  he's  kidding." 

"What?"  said  Jack. 

"  Humbugging,  putting  on." 

"Why  should  he?" 

"  You  will  know  what  brings  him  to  you  to-morrow." 

"  Yes  ;  I  wish  I  hadn't  started  him  now,  my  curiosity  is 
excited.  Here  comes  my  humble  dinner;  have  a  bit  ?" 

"Don't  mind  if  I  do.  Never  can  settle  down  at  Oxford 
the  first  clay,"  answered  Harvey. 

"You  know  you  are  welcome,  Dick,"  said  Jack,  good- 
naturedly.  "  If  it  was  my  last  crust,  I'd  share  it  with 
you. " 

"  And  you  know,  Jack,  that  I'd  sell  my  boots  and  go 
barefoot,  if  it  would  do  you  any  good,"  answered  Harvey. 

"Of  course  you  would,  and  I'd  ask  you  to  do  it  in  a 
moment  if  there  was  necessity  for  it,  dear  boy,  but  I'm 
flush.  Old  Manasses  gave  me  a  hundred  pounds,  and  if 
you  will  have  half " 

Harvey  hesitated. 

"  I  won't  ask  you  ;  I'll  make  you  have  it.  -Take  it, 
Dick  ;  it  will  pay  for  lots  of  little  things  you  want.  What ! 
you  won't  ?  I  shall  have  to  slip  into  you,  sir,  if  you  don't 
do  what  you  are  told,"  he  added. 

Harvey  took  the  money. 

The  tears  came  into  his  eyes. 

"If  I  didn't  like  you  so  much  as  I  do,  Jack,"  he  ex- 
claimed, "  I'd  see  you  at  Pisang  before  I'd  touch  a  half- 
penny piece  of  it." 

"Shut  up,  do,"  said  Jack,  looking  as  if  it  was  the  first 
time  he  had  done  a  kind  thing  in  his  life. 

"All  right.  I'll  have  my  revenge  the  first  time  I  get 
half  a  chance,"  said  Harvey  laughing. 

Then  they  had  a  nice  little  dinner,  and  a  bottle  of  claret 
— best  Lafitte— and  talked  together  as  only  old  friends 
who  love  one  another  with  all  their  hearts  can  talk. 

As  Jack  was  coming  out  of  chapel  the  next  day,  he  met 
his  visitor  of  the  preceding  afternoon,  who,  with  the  same 


256  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

civility,  asked  him  how  he  was,  and  accompanied  him  to 
his  rooms. 

Jack  volunteered  to  take  his  new  friend  to  lectures, 
which  he  did. 

When  they  were  over,  May  proposed  to  walk  through 
the  town. 

Passing  an  hotel,  Jack  proposed  a  glass  of  beer. 

"What  would  ma  say,"  answered  Gentle  May,  "if 
she  only  knew  I  drank  beer  before  dinner? " 

"Better  telegraph  home  and  ask  her  permission,"  re- 
plied Jack. 

"No.  I  mean  to  be  gay,"  said  May.  "I'm  not  at 
home  now,  and  I  shall  do  as  you  all  do  up  here." 

They  strolled  into  a  billiard-room  which  was  empty. 

Jack  began  to  knock  the  balls  about. 

"Do  you  play  ?  "  he  asked. 

"A  little.  I  know  bagatelle.  I  can  beat  my  sisters  at 
that  Let  us  play  for  something  ;  I  have  plenty  of  money. " 

"No.  I  don't  care  about  that — not  with  you,  at  least," 
answered  Jack. 

"We  will  play  five  games.  You  give  me  twenty  out 
of  fifty.  If  you  beat  me  three  times,  you  shall  have  my 
new  horse,  which  ma  gave  me,  and  if  I  beat  you,  you 
shall  pay  me  the  value  of  the  horse." 

' '  All  right, "  said  Jack.  ' '  That  seems  fair.  ' '  Will  you 
break?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  Gentle  May. 

He  took  the  spot  ball  and  made  a  miss  in  baulk  ;  Jack 
followed,  and  the  game  proceeded  evenly  until  Jack  had 
a  lucky  break,  which  made  them  thirty  all. 

Then  May  v/ent  ahead,  and  won  the  game  easily. 

"  One  to  you,''  said  Jack.  "  It  doesn't  look  like  my 
winning  the  horse." 

"  Oh,  it's  only  my  flukes.  See  what  luck  I  had,"  re- 
plied Gentle  May. 

Jack  won  the  second  game,  but  May  easily  beat  him  in 
the  third  and  fourth. 

"That's  three  to  me,  "he  cried.  "What  would  ma  say 
if  she  knew  I  had  such  luck  ?  " 

"  What  do  you  value  your  horse  at  ?  "  said  Jack,  biting 
his  lips  with  vexation.  "  We  forgot  to  settle  that" 

"  Oh,  he  is  a  very  good  horse,  but  I  will  say  forty  pounds 
to  you." 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WA  Y  AT  OXFORD.  257 

Jack  took  out  of  his  pocket  the  notes  Moses  Manasses 
had  given  him,  and  with  something  like  a  groan,  paid 
the  money. 

To  be  beaten  in  such  an  easy  way  by  a  man  like 
Gentle  May  was  a  disgrace. 

He  had  calculated  upon  an  easy  victory  ;  in  which  case 
he  would  not  have  accepted  the  horse. 

May  pocketed  the  money,  and  said — 

"  Do  you  want  a  horse,  Mr.   Harkaway  ?  " 

"As  it  happens,  I  do,"  replied  Jack.  "  A  little  exer- 
cise on  horseback  would  do  me  good." 

"  If  you  give  me  twenty  pounds  more,  you  shall  have 
mine.  Pay  me  when  you  like.  Your  note  of  hand  will  do. " 

Jack  thought  he  spoke  in  a  very  business-like  sort  of 
manner. 

"  Let's  go  and  see  it,"  he  said. 

"  Come  with  me.  It  is  at  the  stables, "  replied  May, 
adding — "  Oh  !  what  would  ma  say  if  she  knew  I  was 
going  to  sell  the  fiery  steed  she  gave  me  ?  It  is  fiery,  but 
so  easily  managed  by  a  good  rider." 

They  went  to  the  stables,  and  Jack  though  Gentle  May 
knew  his  way  very  well  about  Oxford  for  a  freshman,  as 
he  went  direct  to  the  street  without  asking  his  way. 

The  horse  was  a  fine  handsome  chestnut,  and  seemed 
cheap  at  sixty  pounds. 

A  groom  touched  his  hat  to  Jack,  who  recognised  him 
as  a  man  who  had  attended  to  Sir  Sydney  Dawson's 
eteeple-chaser,  and  to  whom  he  had  given  something  after 
winning  the  race. 

"  Going  to  buy  a  'orse,  Mr.  'Arkaway,  sir  ?  "  said  the 
groom,  whose  name  was  Stubbles. 

"  Thinking  of  it,"  replied  Jack. 

Stubbles  beckoned  him  on  one  side. 

"  Reg'lar  wicious  brute,  that,  sir,"  he  said.  "  Crib- 
biter,  kicker,  bolter  ;  a  perfect  wretch,  sir,  all  up  his 
darned  back.  Don't  you  have  no  truck  with  him." 

"  Is  he  sound?" 

"  Sound  as  a  roach,  sir,  and  right  as  the  mail.  He's 
got  wind  and  bottom  enough  to  win  a  Darby.  That  ain't 
what  I'm  talking  of  ;  it's  'is  beastly  temper,  sir,  Mr.  'Ark- 
away, sir." 

"  Well,  I'm  not  a  chicken,  Stubbles  ;  I  can  ride  a  little 
bit,"  replied  Jack,  with  a  smile. 


258  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  In  course  you  can,^ir.  There  hain't  your  match  in 
Hoxford  ;  no,  nor  in  the  shire,  for  that  matter.  Still.  I 
wouldn't  part  my  coin  for  a  hugly-tempered  helephant 
like  that.  More  like  a  'potamus,  he  is,  for  tricks  and  wice, 
than  a  decent  bit  of  'orseflesh." 

This  description  of  the  horse  put  Jack  on  his  mettle. 

He  wanted  a  mettlesome  leader  for  a  new  tandem  he 
was  s;oing  to  drive,  and  he  determined  to  have  this  horse 
— more  out  of  bravado  than  anything  else. 

Besides  he  had  paid  forty  pounds,  which  he  had  fairly 
lost  at  billiards,  therefore,  if  he  gave  another  twenty,  he 
would  have  his  money's  worth  in  the  form  of  a  good  horse. 

' '  Where  did  the  horse  come  from  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  It  is  a  London  'orse,  sir, "  answered  Stubbles.  ' '  Least- 
ways I  think  so,  because  it  belonged  to  Mr.  Davis,  of  St. 
Aldate's  who  had  it  sent  up  here  just  afore  he  left." 

"  Davis  ?  "  repeated  Jack. 

"Yes,  sir,  Mr.  'Arkaway,  sir;  but  Mr.  May  he  showed 
us  a  receipt  from  Mr.  Davis  for  the  'orse,  so  we  suspect 
he  bought  it  of  him." 

Jack  thought  it  very  odd,  and  going  back  to  Gentle 
May,  exclaimed — 

"  Do  you  know  Mr.  Frank  Davis  who  was  up  here 
last  term  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  May,  "not  in  the  least  Stay,"  he 
added.  "  That  is  the  gentleman  ma's  agent  bought  the 
horse  from.  I  remember  now  ;  I  have  the  receipt  from 
a  Mr.  F.  Davis." 

"  Oh,  that  is  it,"  said  Jack.      "  Well,  I'll  buy  him." 

"  He  is  yours.  I  thought  him  too  mettlesome  for  me, 
and  am  glad  to  get  rid  of  him.  A  park-hack  is  more  my 
style.  When  I  go  out  riding,  the  vulgar  little  boys  about 
shout  out — 'Get  inside,  and  pull  the  blinds  down!'  It 
makes  me  so  wild,  Mr.  Harkaway,  to  be  chaffed  before 
ma  and  Bobby  and  Thomasina." 

He  turned  away  as  Jack  gave  some  instruction  to  the 
groom,  and  muttered  to  himself — 

"If  the  brute  doesn't  break  his  neck,  it  isn't  my  fault. 
Deuce  take  him  !  " 

Jack  did  not  hear  this,  or  his  suspicions  respecting  Mr. 
Gentle  May  would  have  been  speedily  aroused. 

As  it  was,  bethought  him  a  strange  mixture  of  cunning 
and  simplicity. 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  259 

Not  a  bad  fellow  at  heart,  but  half  rogue,  half  flat ;  in 
fact,  a  man  who  would  develop  in  time,  and  become 
clever. 

"  He's  been  brought  up  at  home  with  a  lot  of  sisters," 
thought  Jack,  "and  that  is  sure  to  spoil  the  best  man  that 
ever  was  born.  A  man  can't  learn  any  good  from  a 
parcel  of  girls. " 

They  walked  home  together,  and  May  invited  him  to 
tea  in  his  room,  which,  oddly  enough,  was  the  very  same 
that  Davis  used  to  occupy. 

The  same  furniture  remained  in  it,  and  Jack  could  not 
help  fancying  that  he  was  once  more  friendly  with  Davis. 

When  he  asked  Mr.  May  how  he  became  possessed  of 
the  furniture,  he  told  him  that  his  "ma's  "  agent  in  Oxford 
had  bought  the  furniture  from  a  gentleman  who  had  left, 
but  he  did  not  know  his  name. 

Jack  thought  it  was  very  funny  that  May  should  buy 
Davis's  horse,  have  Davis's  room  and  even  his  furniture. 

But  he  did  not  say  anything. 

May  showed  him  great  hospitality,  tried  to  make  him- 
self agreeable,  was  very  funny  in  his  simple  manner,  and 
Jack  soon  dismissed  from  his  mind  the  suspicion  that  he 
could  in  any  way  be  connected  with  his  late  enemy, 
Davis. 


CHAPTER    XL 

A  STRANGE  ARRIVAL  AT  OXFORD. 

THE  next  day  Harvey  gave  Jack  a  look  up  after  break- 
fast, and  said — 

"Are  you  going  to  lectures  this  morning?  " 

"No,  I  mean  to  cut  the  shop  to-day,"  replied  Jack  ; 
"fact  is,  I've  bought  a  horse,  and  May  and  I  are  going 
out  riding. 

"You  seem  to  be  wrapped  up  in  that  ass,"  said  Harvey. 

"The  beggar  sticks  to  me  so,  and  I  don't  see  any  harm 
in  him.  Come  with  us. " 

"I  don't  mind,  though  I  would  rather  Mr.  May  was 
not  one  of  the  party.  I  went  to  his  rooms  last  night, 
after  you,  but  you  had  left,  and  what  do  you  think  I  saw 
on  the  table  ?  " 


260  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"Wine,  I  suppose,"  said  Jack. 

"No,  I  didn't ;  it  was  a  wig." 

"A  what?" 

"A  wig  thing,  exactly  like  his  own  head  of  hair.  He 
scrambled  it  up  and  put  it  in  his  pocket.  What  on  earth 
does  he  want  a  wig  for?" 

"  By  Jove  !"  said  Jack,  "that's  funny.  He's  a  queer 
fish  altogether." 

"So  I  think,  and  the  less  you  have  to  do  with  him 
the  better.  What  horse  is  this  you  are  going  to  try  ?  " 

"One  I  bought  from  May." 

"Already  !  He's  got  an  eye  to  business,"  replied 
Harvey. 

"  Don't  bully  the  man.     You  are  jealous,  Dick." 

"No,  I'm  not,  but  I  don't  like  him.  I  can't  put  up 
with  him  at  all." 

"  What  harm  can  a  fool  like  that  do  me ?     Shut  up." 

"I'll  meet  you  at  the  stables,"  replied  Harvey. 

In  ten  minutes  they  were  all  mounted. 

The  groom  whispered  to  Jack — 

"Don't  touch  him  with  the  spur,  sir.  He  can't  abear 
it,  and  will  bolt  like  ninepins." 

"All  right,"  answered  Jack. 

They  took  the  Abingdon  Road,  and  chatted  pleasantly 
as  they  went  along. 

After  going  a  few  miles,  Gentle  May  exclaimed — 

"How  do  you  like  the  horse,  Mr.  Harkaway  ?  Put  him 
through  his  paces.  You  haven't  tried  him  at  a  fence 
yet." 

There  was  a  five-barred  gate  on  one  side  leading  into 
some  meadows. 

Forgetful  of  the  groom's  advice,  Jack  drove  the  spurs  in 
the  animal's  side  and  put  him  at  the  gate. 

For  a  moment  the  horse  reared  dangerously,  and,  had 
not  Jack  struck  him  with  the  whip  between  the  ears,  he 
would  have  fallen  back  on  him  and  crushed  him  in  the 
road. 

Then  he  took  the  bit  between  his  teeth,  rose  at  the  gate, 
cleared  it,  and  was  off  like  the  wind. 

"  Case  of  bolt,"  said  Harvey. 

He  was  right. 

Jack  found  he  had  no  control  over  him,  and  sticking  his 
knees  well  in,  gave  him  his  head  and  let  him  go. 


JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  261 

Away  he  went,  over  ditches  and  hedges,  across 
meadows  and  ploughed  fields,  without  showing  any 
symptoms  of  distress. 

At  length  the  river  was  in  front  of  them. 

"I'll  make  him  swim  it,"  said  Jack,  between  his  teeth. 
' '  Perhaps  that  will  cool  his  courage. " 

Accordingly,  he  whipped  and  spurred  the  infuriated 
animal  again,  and  put  him  straight  at  the  river,  which 
was  swollen  by  recent  rain. 

Into  the  angry  torrent  he  plunged,  breasting  the  current. 

Slipping  his  feet  out  of  the  stirrups,  Jack  got  off  the 
saddle  and  swam  to  the  opposite  shore. 

Here  he  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  horse. 

The  animal  was  carried  some  distance  by  the  stream, 
but  landed  at  last,  standing,  shivering  and  trembling,  on 
the  bank. 

All  the  steam  was  out  of  him  now. 

Jack  mounted  him  again  and  found  him  as  docile  as 
a  lamb. 

Arriving  at  Oxford  before  May  or  Harvey,  he  changed 
his  wet  things,  and  by  the  time  he  was  comfortably 
smoking  a  cigar,  they  came  in. 

"Thank  God,  you  are  not  hurt,"  said  Harvey.  "I 
followed  you  a  little  way,  but  you  soon  distanced  me." 

"  How  did  you  manage  him  ?  "  asked  May. 

"  Oh,  in  my  usual  way.  I'm  not  spilt  easily,"  answered 
Jack,  coldly. 

"It's  time  to  go  down  to  Mole's  and  coach,"  remarked 
Harvey. 

"Is  it?  I'll  go  with  you  if  Mr.  May  will  excuse  me," 
replied  Jack. 

May,  seeing  he  was  not  wanted,  made  profuse  apolo- 
gies for  the  misconduct  of  the  horse,  for  which  he  hoped 
he  should  not  be  held  answerable,  and  retired. 

"Shunted  him,"  said  Jack. 

"Good  sort  of  shunt,  too,"  replied  Harvey.  "That 
horse  was  not  safe  to  ride ;  he's  a  perfect  fiend. " 

Jack  told  him  how  he  had  conquered  him,  and  they 
walked  down  to  Mr.  Mole's,  where  at  two  o'clock,  the 
men  who  read  with  him,  assembled. 


262  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

CHAPTER   XLI. 

AN  ARRIVAL  FROM  LIMBL 

IN  the  street  were  a  black  woman  and  two  little  black 
children,  who,  while  the  woman  beat  a  tambourine  and 
sang  a  wild  sort  of  song,  went  round  and  collected  the 
pennies  of  the  benevolent. 

"Dash  my  wig!"  said  Jack,  "I  ought  to  know  that 
language." 

"  It's  Malay,  I'll  swear,"  replied  Harvey  ;  "  they  used 
to  sing  it  in  Limbi  and  Pisang,  too." 

"Of  course.  Hold  on  a  minute;  we  will  hear  what  she 
has  to  say,"  said  Harvey. 

The  woman  was  dressed  in  a  dirty  cotton  print,  hang-, 
ing  round  her  in  loose  folds,  her  black  hair  floated  in  the 
breeze,  and  she  seemed  to  be  plunged  in  the  depths  of 
poverty. 

Her  song,  which  was  in  blank  verse,  was  as  follows—- 

"Once  I  was  a  princess  in  my  dear  native  plains  and 
all  respected  me,  until  a  white  man  came  from  across  the 
sea  and  made  me  his  wife.  Ah,  me  !  Ay  di  me  ;  why 
was  I  born  ? 

"The  white  man  was  a  cruel  deceiver, and  betrayed  the 
trust  that  I  placed  in  him.  Woe  to  me,  for  I  am  undone. 

"He  had  two  wives,  and  each  bore  him  a  child.  Ay 
di  me,  why  was  I  born  ? 

"The  white  man  sailed  away  in  a  great  ship  to  the 
distant  shore,  whither  I  have  followed  him.  Woe  to  me. 

"  His  other  wife  is  dead  of  grief,  but  I  have  brought 
with  me  her  child  and  my  own,  and  I  have  vowed  to  find 
him.  Ah  !  me,  why  did  I  not  die  also  ? 

"  Oh  !  white  man,  oh  !  my  husband,  why  did  you  leave 
me  to  pine  alone  ? 

"Oh!  where  are  you  now?  Will  no  kind  stranger 
lead  the  poor  wife  to  her  husband,  that  he  may  see  his 
children  ? 

"Ah,  me  !  ay  di  me ;  why  was  I  born  ?  " 

"Jack,"  exclaimed  Harvey,  excitedly,  "that's  Am- 
bon ia." 

"Just  what  I  was  thinking,"  answered  Jack. 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  263 

"It's  Mole's  wife;  the  woman  he  married  in  Limbi. 
She  says  Alfura  is  dead,  and  she  has  managed  to  come 
over  here  with  the  kids.  What  a  lark  !  " 

"  I'm  awfully  glad  we  spotted  her;  now  we'll  have  a 
spree,"  said  Jack.  "Won't  Mole  tear  his  hair?  If  we 
hadn't  seen  her,  she  might  have  gone  wandering  about 
the  country  and  have  missed  him.  I  will  speak  to  her." 

Jack  went  close  to  the  woman. 

"  Ambonia,"  he  said. 

She  started  and  turned  around. 

"  Who  calls  me  by  my  name  ? "  she  asked. 

"An  old  friend;  one  whom  you  knew  in  Limbi.  Do 
you  not  recognise  me  ?  I  will  lead  you  to  your  husband.' 

Ambonia  uttered  a  shriek  of  joy. 

She  seized  Jack's  hand  and  kissed  it,  saying- — 

"Tears  have  blinded  my  eyes,  and  much  hunger 
coupled  with  sleepless  nights,  has  weakened  my  brain, 
or  I  should  have  known  the  Tuan  Biza  of  the  white  man. 
Welcome  Tuan  Harkaway,  you  are  my  saviour." 

In  her  great  delight  she  would  have  gone  down  on  her 
knees  in  the  street,  but  Jack  restrained  her. 

"Wait  here,"  he  said,  "while  I  go  into  the  house  on 
the  left.  I  will  leave  the  door  open.  When  I  call  Am- 
bonia, through  the  window,  do  you  enter,  leading  a  child 
by  each  hand." 

She  nodded  her  head. 

"I  understand,"  she  replied ;  "then  I  shall  see  my 
husband. " 

"I'll  show  Mole  his  wife  in  ten  minutes,"  answered 
Jack.  "Go  on  with  your  performance." 

He  entered  Mr.  Mole's  house  with  Harvey,  and  in  the 
large  dining-room,  which  was  turned  into  a  study,  several 
men  of  different  colleges  had  assembled. 

They  were  smoking,  talking,  asking  questions,  making 
notes,  lounging  about,  standing  up,  and  taking  things 
very  easy. 

It  was  a  part  of  Mole's  system  that  they  should  do  so. 

Oxford  men  were  not  schoolboys,  he  said,  and  should 
be  treated  as  rational  beings. 

They  paid  him  to  teach  them,  which  he  did,  and  if  they 
did  not  have  their  money's  worth,  it  was  not  his  fault. 

You  could  bring  a  horse  to  the  water,  but  twenty  men 
could  not  make  him  drink. 


2  64  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

So  it  was  with  learning.  If  a  man  had  not  the  aptitude 
or  inclination  to  acquire  knowledge,  it  could  not  be 
forced  into  him. 

Mr.  Mole  was  standing  near  the  fireplace,  with  dress- 
ing-gown and  slippers  on  ;  a  cap  with  a  tassel  covered 
his  head,  and  he  smoked  a  cigarette. 

"Morning,  sir,"  said  Jack;  "what  are  we  cramming 
to-day  ?  '' 

"It's  a  general  disquisition,  Harkaway,  upon  the  man- 
ners and  customs  of  the  Ancient  inhabitants  of  Greece. 
I  maintain  that  we  are  moie  moral  as  a  nation  than  the 
Greeks  were." 

"I  am  prepared  to  dispute  that  point,  sir,"  said  Jack. 

"Very  good.  I  will  hear  you  first,  and  then  I  will 
prove  my  case  by  historical  illustrations,"  answered  Mole  ; 
adding,  "if  gentlemen  would  kindly  talk  a  little  less  at 
the  lower  end  of  the  room,  it  would  materially  increase 
our  comfort  up  here. " 

There  was  a  lull  in  the  conversation. 

"We  don't  hear,  sir,"  said  Jack,  "of  men  marrying  two 
wives,  and  deserting  them  under  the  democracy  of 
Athens. " 

Mr.  Mole  paled. 

"  Nor  is  such  a  thing  allowed  under  Victoria,"  he  re- 
plied. "Polygamy,  which,  as  you  are  aware,  is  a  union 
with  more  wives  than  one,  is  an  offence  to  this  country, 
and  a  man  who  deserts  his  wife  and  children  is  justly 
stigmatised  as  a  villain  who  is  unfit  to  mingle  as  a  har- 
monious atom  in  the  vast  total  of  modern  society." 

More  than  one  impressionable  freshman  made  a  note 
of  this  lovely  language  in  his  book,  hoping  he  could  re- 
member such  an  eloquent  remark  when  he  went  into  the 
schools. 

"If,"  continued  Mr.  Mole,  "you  can  urge  nothing 
more  than  that,  it  will  be  best  for  you,  Harkaway,  to 
subside.  You  thrust  yourself  prominently  forward,  and 
you  must  now  pay  the  penalty  of  your  rashness,  by  sink- 
ing into  comparative  insignificance.  Will  any  other 
gentleman  combat  my  proposition,  that  the  boasted  civil- 
isation of  the  ancient  Greeks  must  yield  the  palm  to 
modern  Europe,  for  virtue,  industry,  and  thrift?" 

Jack  slipped  away  to  the  window,  and  called  Ambonia. 

The  lady  in  question  was  anxiously  awaiting  the  signal. 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  265 

Leading  a  dusky  child  by  each  hand,  she  rushed  up  the 
steps,  crossed  the  hall,  and  seeing  the  dining-room  door 
open,  peeped  in.  The  sight  of  Jack  reassured  her. 

She  entered,  and  giving  a  furious  knock  upon  her  tam- 
bourine with  her  knuckles,  looked  around  her. 

The  husband  of  her  affections,  the  Mole  of  her  heart, 
dearly  beloved  chief  of  the  pale-faces,  was  in  front  of  her. 

She  knew  him  in  spite  of  dressing-gown,  smoking-cap 
and  slippers. 

What  disguise  could  hide  from  her  hawk-like  gaze  the 
tender  object  of  her  affection  ? 

With  a  bound  like  that  of  a  deer,  she  sprang  upon  him, 
and  with  a  hysterical  sob,  threw  herself  upon  his  breast. 

The  gentlemen  who  were  reading  with  Mr.  Mole  were 
astonished  beyond  measure. 

What  could  this  strange  scene  mean  ? 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Jack,  "  there  is  a  practical  illustra- 
tion of  my  argument." 

"What  do  you  mean  ? "  asked  an  Oriel  man. 

"  In  that  lady  you  behold  at  one  and  the  same  time,  a 
princess  and  a  deserted  wife." 

"  Who's  wife?  "  continued  the  Oriel  man. 

"  Mr.  Mole's.  He  married  two  ;  one  is  dead,  and  by  a 
strange  fatality  the  surviving  one  has  followed  him  to 
England— has  encountered  him  at  Oxford.  Yes,  gentle- 
men, it  is  his  deserted  wife." 

Jack  put  his  handkerchief  to  his  eyes. 

"I  am  overcome  by  my  feelings,"  he  went  on. 
weep.     Who  could  restrain  his  tears  when  he  thinks  of 
man's   perfidy,   and   looks  upon   his   helpless  offspring? 
Harvey,  put  the  kids  on  the  table." 

Harvey  immediately  did  so. 

"Behold  the  little  cherubs,  gentlemen,"  Jack  contin- 
ued. "  What  if  they  resemble  sags  of  boot— I  mean  bags 
of  soot?  Does  the  colour  of  a  child's  skin  release  the 
parent  from  his  responsibility?  Because  a  woman  is 
black,  is  she  to  be  foully  betrayed  and  abandoned? 
Never,  gentlemen,  will  I  believe  so  ill  of  Oxford  as  to 
credit  for  a  moment  that  you  will  support  such  an  abom- 
inable doctrine." 

Here  Jack's  eloquence  was  cut  short  by  an  inkstand 
which  struck  him  on  the  chest,  and  knocked  him  off  the 
chair  from  which  he  had  been  spouting. 


266  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

A  deluge  of  ink  covered  his  face,  his  shirt,  his  hands. 

It  was  Mr.  Mole,  who,  having  freed  himself  from 
Ambonia's  frantic  embrace,  had,  in  his  rising  passion  at 
Jack's  flood  of  eloquence,  tried  to  put  a  stop  to  it. 

"That's  a  hot  un  for  me,"  muttered  Jack,  spitting  out 
a  mouthful  of  ink.  "  Wonder  what  they  make  ink  of? 
It  don't  taste  nice  by  any  manner  of  means,"  he  added. 

Loud  cheers  had  followed  Jack's  address,  and  the  ut- 
most confusion  prevailed. 

Every  one  began  to  talk  at  once. 

The  chaff  directed  against  Mr.  Mole  was  fast  and  furious. 

In  a  moment  the  unhappy  professor  saw  that  his  career 
at  Oxford  was  cut  short  by  this  untimely  episode. 

Cursing  Ambonia  in  his  heart,  but  afraid  to  offend  her, 
his  face  was  the  picture  of  despair. 

Never  could  he  survive  the  ridicule  which  the  native 
wit  and  the  inventive  genius  of  Oxford  would  heap  upon 
him. 

He  might  have  lived  down  the  mistake  of  the  talking 
monkey,  and  he  had  already  tided  over  the  ancient  stone 
with  the  Runic  inscription  of  Drun.  Kasaf.  Iddler. 

But  Ambonia's  presence  in  Oxford  was  the  last  straw 
which  was  to  break  the  camel's  back. 


CHAPTER  XLIL 

MR.    MOLE  TURNS  HIS  ATTENTION  TO    SCIENCE. 

FOR  once  in  his  life  Mr.  Mole  was  firm. 

Calling  Jack  to  his  side,  he  said — 

"  Harkaway,  will  you  do  me  a  favour?  " 

"  It  depends  upon  what  it  is,  sir,"  replied  Jack. 

"Bring  those  little  fiends  upstairs,  one  under  each 
arm. " 

"What  for?" 

"I  must  take  Ambonia  away.  You  have  been  very 
indiscreet.  Why  did  you  say  what  you  did  to  all  my 
pupils  here  ? " 

"Only  told  the  truth,  sir, "said  Jack.  "Is  there  any 
harm  in  that  ?  Was  it  a  virtue  in  Athens  to  tell  falsehoods  ?  " 

"Tush  !  tush  !  "  said  Mr.  Mole. 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  267 

"  What  language  is  that,  sir?  " 

"Tush  is  English,  and  means  what  the  military  would 
call  cease  firing;  that  is,  be  quiet,  for  goodness'  sake." 

Ambonia  came  up  to  them  and  began  to  talk  loudly  in 
her  own  language,  while  Mr.  Mole,  endeavouring  to 
pacify  her,  drew  her  towards  the  door,  and  led  her  up- 
stairs. 

He  was  the  owner  of  the  whole  house. 

His  housekeeper  was  an  aged  lady  by  the  name  of 
Bimms. 

Mrs.  Bimms  was  one  of  those  dear  creatures  who  have 
had  one  husband,  and  want  another. 

Her  first  unfortunate  was  a  tradesman,  who  at  his 
death  left  her  very  poorly  off. 

Two  children  had  blessed  her  union  with  commerce, 
but  they  were  out  in  the  world  gaining  their  own  living. 

When  Mrs.  Bimms  came  to  take  charge  of  Mr.  Mole's 
establishment,  she  fixed  her  eye  upon  such  an  eligible 
bachelor. 

She  even  went  so  far  as  to  hope  that  he  might  marry 
her  some  day. 

Jack  called  it  a  swivel  eye,  and  he  did  so  advisedly, 
for  Mrs.  Bimms  had  an  abnormal  squint,  and  seemed 
always  looking  round  the  corner. 

This  wonderful  eye  could  look  any  way,  and  in  any 
direction. 

She  was  in  the  kitchen  preparing  a  snug  little  dinner, 
when  Ambonia  stopped  before  the  house. 

It  had  entered  into  her  calculations  that  she  might  be 
asked  to  partake  of  the  repast. 

When  she  saw  Ambonia  enter  Mr.  Mole's  establish- 
ment, she  was  much  surprised,  and  her  astonishment 
increased  when  she  saw  her  master  leading  the  dark  lady 
up  the  staircase. 

"  He  must  be  mad,"  she  said  to  herself. 

Only  the  day  before  she  had  her  fortune  told  by  a  local 
soothsayer,  who  informed  her  in  return  for  the  payment 
of  one  shilling,  that  she  would  be  married  again,  and  that 
her  second  husband  would  be  a  learned  man. 

This  prediction  clearly  pointed  to  Mr.  Mole. 

But  as  the  prophecy  was  dictated  by  the  fortune-teller's 
knowledge  of  Mrs.  Bimms's  occupation,  there  was  nothing 
very  wonderful  in  it  after  alL 


268  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Mrs.  Bimms  rushed  up  the  stairs  after  Mr.  Mole  and  the 
dark  lady,  and  caught  them  on  the  landing. 

"What  is  the  meaning  of  this,  sir?"  she  asked,  breath- 
less with  indignation, 

"Oh,  it  is  you,  Mrs.  Bimms,"  replied  Mr.  Mole. 
"This  lady  is  a  princess  in  her  own  country — I  have 
been  abroad  as  you  know." 

"  I  have  heard  so,  sir,"  replied  the   housekeeper  coldly. 

' '  Well,  the  fact  is  we  are  old  friends,  and  the  princess 
will  stay  here  with  her  children. " 


Mrs.  Bimms  gave  a  faint  scream. 
"I    didn't   think   you'd 


you'd  ha'  done  it,  sir,"  she  cried. 
"You  such  a  respectable  gentleman  too." 

"You  must  do  as  I  tell  you;  go  and  get  some  tea 
ready." 

"  Not  me,  sir.  No,  I'm  an  honest  Englishwoman,  and 
I  ain't  a-going  to  wait  on  no  foreign  hussies." 

"I  say  you  must." 

"And  I  say  I  won't.  There,  that's  flat — flat  as  a  iron," 
replied  Mrs.  Bimms,  crossing  her  arms  defiantly. 

"What  does  she  say,  my  cherished  one?"  asked 
Ambonia,  looking  up  in  Mr.  Mole's  face  caressingly. 

"  Nothing  ;  it's  all  right/'  returned  the  professor,  in  the 
Malay  dialect.  "  The  children  shal.1  come  up  directly, 
and  I  will  get  you  some  refreshments.  Go  into  my  bed- 
room and  make  yourself  comfortable.  I  will  get  rid  of 
my  pupils  and  rejoin  you." 

Ambonia  went  into  the  handsomely-furnished  room, 
and  was  enraptured  with  the  beauty  of  everything. 

Shutting  the  door  Mr.  Mole  said  sternly  to  Mrs. 
Bimms — 

"  Out  of  my  house,  if  you  please." 

"Oh,"  replied  Mrs.  Bimms,  with  a  sarcastic  smile,  "if 
it's  a  question  between  black  and  white,  I'm  willing  to 
quit. " 

"  Be  off,"  said  Mr.  Mole  angrily.  "I  will  be  obeyed 
in  my  own  house," 

"Oh,  you  poor,  weak,  silly  creature,"  returned  Mrs. 
Bimms.  "  I  should  be  ashamed  to  own  you  as  a  master. 
Fond  of  a  black  woman  ?  Well,  I  never." 

She  began  to  laugh  heartily. 

"Ha,  ha,  ha!"  she  exclaimed.  "Like  'em  black  he 
does.  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  " 


JA CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  269 

"  Fiend  !  "  answered  Mr.  Mole.      "  Let  me  pass." 

He  pushed  rudely  by  her,  and  re-entered  the  lecture- 
room. 

During  his  absence  Jack  and  some  other  men  had  been 
having  some  fun  with  the  children,  who  were  crying 
bitterly. 

Each  had  a  smoking-cap  on,  and  they  had  been  gro- 
tesquely marked  with  chalk  about  the  hands,  face,  and 
feet. 

This  had  the  effect  of  burnt  cork  on  a  white  person. 

"What's  the  meaning  of  this?"  exclaimed  Mr.  Mole, 
aghast. 

"  Piebald  kids,  sir,"  replied  Jack.  "  Make  their  fortune 
in  a  caravan  at  a  fair." 

"Do  you  want  to  distract  me?"  answered  the  pro- 
fessor, plunging  his  hand  wildly  into  his  hair. 

"  Not  more  than  usual,  sir,"  said  Jack. 

"I  shall  leave  the  university." 

"  Don't  do  that,"  said  a  man  from  New  ;  "you'd  be  a 
loss." 

"Gentlemen,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Mole,  "unhappy  cir- 
cumstances, over  which  I  have  no  control,  will  compel 
me  to  close  my  classes.  Your  subscriptions  shall  not  be 
payable.  Leave  me,  if  you  please,  until  happier  times 
arise." 

The  men  quietly  left  the  house,  telling  him  not  to 
worry  himself,  but  to  put  on  a  white  wife  to  counter- 
balance the  influence  of  the  black  one. 

Only  Jack  and  Harvey  remained. 

"Harkaway,"  said  Mr.  Mole  solemnly,  "I  am  a 
disgraced  and  ruined  man.  You  have  exposed  me.  It 
is  to  you  I  owe  my  shame." 

"Marriage,  sir,  has  its  obligations,"  answered  Jack. 

"  Granted,  but  why  should  you  expose  me?" 

"I  felt  for  Ambonia," 

"For  that  black " 

"Don't  call  names,  sir,"  interrupted  Jack.  "She  was 
the  wife  of  your  bosom." 

' '  In  Limbi — yes. " 

"  What  is  the  difference  ?  " 

"Over  in  this  country  one  goes  in  for  colour,  and 
white  is  the  fashion,"  answered  Mr.  Mole,  who  in  the 
midst  of  his  grief  could  not  repress  a  smile. 


270  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  Did  she  not  bear  you  a  child?  Isn't  Alfura  dead? — 
and  you  have  not  shed  a  tear  to  her  memory." 

"Perish  Ambonia,  as  Alfura  perished,"  replied  Mr. 
Mole.  "  lam  a  ruined  man.  How  can  I  show  my  face 
again  in  the  university  of  Oxford  ?  " 

"  I  am  in  an  awful  stew, 
What  the  dickens  can  I  do, 
When  I'm  hunted  from  the  U- 
Diversity  of  Oxford?" 

sang  Jack. 

"  Harkaway,  do  you  want  to  madden  me?"  exclaimed 
Mr.  Mole. 

"Shouldn't  mind  doing  it  for  a  change,  sir,"  replied 
Jack.  ' '  What  do  you  think  of  the  ancient  Athenians  now, 
sir?  Very  moral  people,  weren't  they?  " 

Mr.  Mole  seized  a  pipe,  filled  and  lighted  it. 

He  then  went  to  a  cupboard,  took  out  a  bottle  of 
brandy  and  drank  nearly  a  tumbler  full. 

"  Give  us  a  swig,  sir,"  said  Harvey. 

"You  want  none.  You  have  not  the  agitated  mind 
with  which  I  am  tormented,"  answered  Mr.  Mole. 

"Going  to  get  tight,  sir?"  asked  Jack. 

Mr.  Mole  puffed  away  at  his  pipe  in  silence. 

"If  you  don't  watch  it,  sir,  you'll  have  Ambonia  down 
after  you,"  said  Harvey. 

The  children,  who  were  still  on  the  table,  began  to  cry. 

"  Music  !  "  exclaimed  Jack. 

"Strangle  the  brutes,"  said  Mr.  Mole.  "Oh,  if  any- 
body would  put  them  in  the  water-butt." 

While  this  conversation  was  taking  place  down  stairs,  a 
scene  was  occurring  at  the  upper  parl  of  the  house. 

Mrs.  Bimms  no  sooner  saw  Mr.  Mole  descend  the  stair- 
case than  she  went  into  the  bedroom. 

"You  ugly  black  thing,  you  !  "  she  exclaimed,  shaking 
her  fist 

Ambonia  did  not  understand  her,  but  she  guessed  from 
her  manner  that  she  was  saying  something  insulting. 

"Who  you  be  ?  "  she  asked  in  the  little  English  she  had 
picked  up. 

"  Your  betters  any  way  ;  I  ain't  black,  nor  I  don't  have 
to  run  after  gentlemen  who  don't  want  me." 

"Get  out  this,"  said  Ambonia,  angrily. 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  27 1 

"I'll  see  you — further  first,"  replied  Mrs.  Bimms,  reso- 
lutely. 

She  was  a  firmly-built  woman  of  five-and  forty,  well 
nourished  upon  stout  brandy,  and  her  eyes  winked  wick- 
edly. 

It  was  evident  that  she  meant  mischief. 

A  tall  chimney-pot  hat  of  Mr.  Mole's  was  hanging  on  a 
Peg. 

Taking  it  down  with  the  quickness  of  lightning,  Ambonia 
seized  Mrs.  Bimms  by  the  arms,  pressed  them  behind  her 
back,  and  while  in  a  helpless  condition,  pushed  the  hat 
over  her  face  until  her  head  was  enclosed  in  it,  and  the 
brim  rested  on  her  neck 

"There!  "  she  said,  kicking  her,  and  still  holding  her 
a/ms.  "Take  you  that  and  that.  You  wantee  my  husband. 
Me  givee  you  something,  you  white  ugly  fat  woman." 

Tearing  a  piece  off  the  skirt  of  the  housekeeper's  dress, 
she  tied  her  hands  behind  her  back. 

Dismal  moans  came  from  beneath  the  hat. 

Ambonia  seized  Mrs.  Bimms's  back  hair. 

It  came  off,  being  only  a  chignon. 

"  Ha  !  she  not  wear  own  hair,"  cried  Ambonia.  "  Me 
beatee  white  woman  beast." 

She  pushed  her  down  stairs,  and  with  pleasure  saw  her 
fall  down  the  first  flight,  then  she  returned  to  the  bed- 
room, and  began  to  arrange  her  hair  in  a  fascinating  man- 
ner before  the  glass  in  expectation  of  Mr.  Mole's  speedy 
return. 

Jack  had  in  the  meantime  pacified  the  black  children  by 
giving  them  a  penny  each. 

"Dance,  you  little  demons,  dance,"  he  cried,  in  their 
own  language. 

They  began  to  move  about,  first  on  one  leg  and  then 
on  the  other. 

"  Don't  the  little  Moles  do  it  well?"  said  Harvey. 

"  Peace,  Harvey,  peace  ',  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Mole.  "  My 
reason  is  tottering." 

At  this  moment  Mrs.  Bimms  groped  her  way  into  the 
room. 

At  the  strange  spectacle  of  a  female,  her  head  hidden  in 
a  man's  hat,  Mr.  Mole  sprang  from  his  seat. 

"  Bless  us  and  save  us  ?  what  is  it  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 

Jack  ran  to  her,  and  cut  the  string  which  bound  her  arms. 


272  JA  CK  HARK  A  IV AY  AT  OXFORD. 

The  housekeeper  removed  the  hat  with  difficulty  and 
gasped  for  breath. 

"I'll  have  her  life  !  "  she  cried.  ' '  She  did  it — that  black 
think  he  calls  the  princess." 

"Don't,  my  dear  Mrs.  Bimms ;  forbear!"  cried  the 
wretched  Mole. 

"I'll  be  the  death  of  her.  Yes,  I  will,  if  I'm  hanged 
for  it." 

"Won't  something  less  content  you?"  said  Jack. 
"Let  her  down  easy  ;  have  her  kids." 

"  Ha  ! "  cried  Mrs.  Bimms,  as  her  eyes  lighted  upon  the 
children. 

She  seized  one  under  each  arm,  and  ran  frantically  away. 

Awful  yells  arose. 

"Stop  her!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Mole.  "For  the  love  of 
Heaven  stop  her.  The  woman  will  murder  them." 

Jack,  Harvey  and  Mr.  Mole  followed  her  as  speedily  as 
possible. 

She  took  the  direction  of  the  back  yard. 

When  they  overtook  her,  she  was  standing  compla- 
cently before  the  water-butt. 

"  Where  are  my  helpless  infants  ?''  demanded  Mr.  Mole. 

There  was  no  reply. 

"Woman,  I  demand  my  children,'  he  cried,  shaking 
her,  fearful  of  the  consequences  of  the  dreadful  crime. 

"Look  in  the  water-butt,"  replied  Mrs.  Bimms. 

In  an  instant  Jack  and  Mr.  Mole  laid  hold  of  the  huge 
tub,  and  overturned  it. 

The  water  rolled  out. 

So  did  the  little  half-drowned  Moles. 

They  were  not  dead. 

The  only  effects  of  this  immersion  was  to  wash  off  the 
chalk  with  which  Mr.  Mole's  pupils  had  ornamented  them. 
Taking  them  up  tenderly,  Mole  turned  to  go  up  stairs  with 
them  to  their  mother. 

" Harkaway,"  he  said,  "guard  that  fury." 

He  pointed  to  his  housekeeper. 

4 '  I  dismiss  her, "  he  added.  ' '  She  can  call  for  her  wages 
in  the  morning.  Put  her  out." 

'    "Now  then,  old  girl,"  said  Jack,  as   Mr.  Mole   disap- 
peared with  the  children,  "  you've  got  to  step  it." 

"What  !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Bimms. 

"Your  name's  Walker.     Out  of  this." 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  273 

"I  ain't  a-going." 

"Aren't  you?  We'll  see  about  that,"  replied  Jack. 
"Off  you  go.  Quick  step  ;  march.  One  at  a  time  is  quite 
enough  for  Mr.  Mole.  Walk." 

Mrs.  Bimms  found  herself  being  gently  put  out  of  the 
yard  by  the  tradesmen's  entrance. 

When  she  was  in  the  street,  she  kicked  at  the  door. 

Then  she  screamed,  and  eventually  called — "  Police  !  " 

But  thinking  better  of  it,  she  went  to  her  friends,  who 
did  not  live  far  off,  and  made  them  acquainted  with  her 
grievances. 

The  little  Moles  were  put  to  bed,  and  had  muffins  and 
tea  given  them. 

They  asked  for  rice  and  sugar,  which  they  had. 

Then  they  cried  because  they  had  eaten  too  much,  and 
their  mother  slapped  them  after  which  they  cried  them- 
selves to  sleep. 

Ambonia  and  Mr.  Mole  descended  to  the  drawing-room, 
where  Jack  and  Harvey  were  smoking  cigars  and  drink- 
ing beer. 

Ambonia  went  up  to  Jack  and  kissed  him,  whereupon 
he  kissed  her  back  again. 

"I  say,  Harkaway,  I  can't  allow  that,"  exclaimed  Mr. 
Mole. 

"It's  only  a  compliment,  sir,"  answered  Jack ;  "and 
now  what  are  you  going  to  do?" 

"That  is  more  than  I  know,"  replied  Mr.  Mole,  sadly. 

Ambonia  came  and  sat  on  his  knee,  patting  his  face  and 
laughing  merrily  as  she  told  him  in  her  own  language  that 
she  had  forgiven  him  for  deserting  her,  and  was  so  pleased 
to  see  him  again. 

She  had  come  over  to  England  in  a  merchant  vessel, 
her  friends  supplying  her  with  money. 

But  when  she  arrived  in  London,  she  could  not  find 
him  as  she  had  expected,  and  soon  her  money  was  gone. 

When  she  was  reduced  to  destitution  she  determined  to 
go  all  over  the  country  with  the  children,  until  she  found 
him 

Fortune  had  crowned  her  labours  with  success. 

Ambonia  was  happy,  Mr.  Mole  was  not. 

That  made  all  the  difference. 

When  Jack  saw  her  petting  Mr.  Mole  he  exclaimed — 

"Now  the  spooning  is  going  to  begin,  I'd  better  cut  it. 
16 


274  JACK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

See  you  again  soon,  sir.  Beg  to  congratulate  you  on 
your  good  luck. " 

"Good-night,  Harkaway,"  said  Mr.  Mole.  "I  wish 
you  the  same  luck  you  have  bestowed  upon  me.  Good- 
bye ;  perhaps  for  ever." 

The  young  men  took  their  leave  and  went  back  to  Jack's 
rooms  at  St  Aldate's,  where  they  had  some  coffee  and  sat 
down  to  chat. 

"Will  Mole  do  anything  desperate,  do  you  think?" 
asked  Harvey. 

"Not  he,"  replied  Jack.      "Mole  isn't  a  fool." 

"But  this  affair  will  smash  him  up.  It  will  be  all  over 
Oxford  to-morrow,  and  he  won't  keep  any  pupils." 

"  He's  got  the  money  for  which  he  sold  his  tea-garden 
in  China,"  said  Jack,  "and  that  will  keep  .him." 

"Wasn't  it  too  bad  of  you  to  expose  him  ?  " 

"Not  a  bit;  he  shouldn't  do  such  things.  If  a  man 
will  marry  two  wives,  he  must  take  the  consequences." 

"The  consequences  in  his  case  are  niggers." 

Jack  laughed,  and  some  other  men  coming  in,  the 
matter  was  not  further  talked  about. 

Two  days  passed. 

Then  Jack  went  to  Mr.  Mole's  house,  and  found  it  shut 
up. 

He  was  told  that  Mr.  Mole  had  gone  a  little  way  into 
the  country  to  live. 

It  was  quite  a  fortnight  before  Jack  got  any  definite 
information  respecting  Mr.  Mole. 

Then  it  came  from  Sir  Sydney  Dawson,  who  had  been 
riding  in  the  country. 

Sir  Sydney  said  he  had  seen  Mole  sitting  in  front  of  a 
rustic  cottage,  with  two  black  children  running  about, 
and  Ambonia  making  him  brandy  and  soda. 

"  What's  his  game  ? "  asked  Jack. 

"Science,  I  think?"  replied  Sir  Sydney.  "Because 
he  told  me  he  was  making  a  balloon." 

"What  for?" 

"That's  just  what  I  asked  him,  and  he  replied  that  he 
wanted  to  get  away  from  this  country.  His  face  was 
awfully  scratched,  and  his  right  hand  was  bound  up 
with  rags." 

"He's  been  fighting  with  Ambonia.  I  knew  how  it 
would  be,"  said  Jack.  "But  the  balloon  licks  me." 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  2  75 

"  He  means  to  sail  away  and  cut  the  connection." 

"Shouldn't  wonder,"  replied  Jack.  "Where  will  he 
sail  to  ? " 

"That  depends  upon  circumstances." 

He's  got  a  large  tent  in  which  the  balloon  apparatus  is 
being  fixed.  I  saw  the  preparations,  and  the  car  will  be 
grand. " 

"  Does  Ambonia  suspect  anything?  " 

"Not  she.  Her  nature  is  very  simple,"  replied  Sir 
Sydney,  "from  what  I  saw  of  her." 

"Fancy  Mole  going  in  for  science.  Wonder  if  he 
would  give  a  fellow  a  lift  in  his  balloon." 

"Let's  ask  him.  My  duns  are  worrying  me  awfully, 
and  I  shouldn't  mind  a  journey  somewhere,"  answered 
Sir  Sydney. 

"  When  will  it  be  ready?  " 

"Oh,  not  for  months,"  he  said.  "It's  a  very  swell 
affair,  and  will  cost  a  lot  building,  and  take  time.  ' 

"  I'll  keep  my  eye  upon  him.  Poor  old  Mole  !  he  was 
always  in  trouble  while  he  knew  me,"  said  Jack. 

"If  that  is  the  case  he  would  cut  your  acquaintance 
if  he  is  wise. " 

"Can't  do  it,  dear  boy,"  answered  Jack.  "I  have  a 
power  of  persuasion,  which  neither  Moles  nor  baronets 
can  resist." 

"Don't  you  try  it  on  with  me,  or  I  will  shunt  you  in 
an  hour,"  replied  Sir  Sydney  Dawson,  smiling. 

Monday  knocked  at  the  door. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  exclaimed  Jack. 

"A  note  from  Mist'  May,  sir,"  answered  Monday. 

"Give  it  here.     What  a  nuisance  the  fellow  is." 

Jack  opened  the  note,  after  asking  Dawson's  permission 
to  do  so. 

As  he  proceeded  to  read  its  contents,  he  looked  pale, 
and  a  dark  frown  gathered  on  his  brow. 


e  76  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

CHAPTER  XLIII. 

A    MYSTERIOUS    PARCEL. 

SEEING  that  Jack  was  upset,  Sir  Sydney  Dawson,  ex- 
claimed— 

"Anything  disagreeable  in  the  letter?  Is  your  grand- 
, mother  dead,  or  has  your  sister  bolted  with  a  lawyers 
clerk  ?  " 

"As  I  have  neither  the  one  nor  the  other,  you  are  out 
in  both  cases,"  answered  Jack. 

"Perhaps  the  bank  in  which  your  governor  puts  his 
money  has  gone  to  smash." 

"  Wrong  again." 

"  Then  your  mother's  favourite  cat  is  dead  ?  " 

"  She  hates  animals,  and  we  have  nothing  more  im- 
portant at  home  than  a  painted  cock-sparrow — pale 
yellow  sort  of  colour,  which  we  are  foolish  enough  to 
call  a  canary,  but  as  it  never  sings,  I  have  my  doubts/' 
said  Jack. 

"Governor  go  in  for  cows  ?  " 

"Yes,  he' farms." 

"Then  the  cows  have  got  the  rinderpest — what  do  you 
call  it  ? — cattle-disease  ;  or  the  rickyard's  burnt  down,  or 
his  pet  bantams  have  got  the  pip,  or  the  churn's  gone 
wron&',  and  they're  hard  up  for  butter,  or " 

"My  dear  fellow,"  replied  Jack,  "if  you  were  to  guess 
for  a  month,  you  wouldn't  hit  it." 

' '  Let  the  oracle  explain  itself.  I  am  not  a  good  hand 
at  guessing.  Unfold  the  mysterious  tale  forthwith,  or 
look  out  for  a  book  at  your  head. " 

"Thank  you!"  exclaimed  Jack.  "The  book  would 
not  be  long  in  coming  back  again.  But,  look  here,  I 
have  had  a  letter  from  Gentle  May." 

"If  it's  not  an  impertinent  question,  who  may  the 
individual  be?  "  asked  Sir  Sydney,  crossing  his  legs. 

"A  freshman,  and  the  biggest  ass  I  ever  saw." 

"If  names  go  for  anything  in  this  sublunary  sphere " 

' '  That's  a  big  word, "  exclaimed  Jack.      ' '  What  was  it  ?  * 

"Allow  me    to  explain.     At  somebody's  lecture  the 


/A  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  277 

other  day,  I  was  taught  that  a  sphere  meant  a  globe,  and 
a  globe  meant  the  earth.  Sub  was  Latin  for  under,  and 
Luna  meant  the  moon,  and  as  our  earth  is  beneath  the 
moon,  I  intended  to  convey  the  idea  of  the  world  on 
which  we  now  sit  and  smoke,  to  your  limited  compre- 
hension." 

"Thanks,"  replied  Jack,  drily.      "Go  on." 

"That's  all." 

"You  mean  that  Gentle  May  ought  from  his  name  to 
be  a  fool." 

"Exactly,"  answered  Sir  Sydney. 

"He  isn't,"  said  Jack.  "  I  have  found  him  just  the 
contrary,  but  he  has  riled  me  in  this  letter." 

"Oh,  it  is  from  the  party  with  the  funny  name." 

"Yes." 

' '  Serves  you  right.  When  you  are  established  at  a 
place  and  have  friends,  you  should  not  pick  up  with  a 
lot  of  new  fellows  you  know  nothing  about,"  replied 
Dawson. 

"  He  brought  a  letter  of  introduction  to  me." 

"All  the  more  reason  why  you  should  fight  shy  of 
him." 

"But  the  introduction " 

"Hate  introductions,"  interrupted  Sir  Sydney.  "A 
fellow  generally  \vants  to  get  you  into  some  swindle,  or 
borrow  a  five-pound  note  from  you,  when  he  gets  an 
introduction. " 

"  He  is  so  simple,   though." 

"Possibly.  What  does  his  simplicity  consist  in,  in 
the  present  instance  ?  " 

"  He  says  he  has  got  the  toothache  and  can't  go  out — 
asks  me  to  go  to  the  chemist's  and  buy  him  some  stuff 
for  his  tooth,  and  then  go  on  to  the  station  and  inquire 
for  a  parcel  for  him,  which  I  shall  find  there,  and  I 
am  to  be  very  careful  with  it,  as  it  contains  valuable 
property." 

"That's  pretty  good  cheek  for  a  freshman,"  said  Sir 
Sydney,  laughing. 

"Just  what  I  thought." 

"  Fancy  making  a  porter  of  the  best  oar  and  the  best 
bat  in  the  university.  You  should  cut  this  man,  Hark- 
away.  It's  bad  form  to  know  such  fellows." 

"It's  only  his  simplicity." 


278  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  Hang  his  simplicity,  and  him  too,  to  the  same  tree. 
That's  what  I  should  say,"  replied  Davvson. 

"I  think  I  shall  humour  him,  and  go  and  do  his 
errands." 

"Like  a  shop-boy,"  said  Dawson,  shrugging  his 
shoulders.  "Well,  there  is  no  accounting  for  taste." 

"Consider  a  moment." 

"  It  does  not  want  any  consideration.  All  I  know  is, 
if  a  fellow  asked  me  to  fetch  and  carry  for  him,  I  should 
refer  him  to  his  scout." 

"I'll  do  that  afterwards.  It  will  be  a  good  joke  to  do 
as  he  asks.  When  we  were  in  London  last  summer, 
my  father  had  a  house  in  Belgrave  Square.  Lord 
Eccleston  called  on  him,  rather  badly  dressed  ;  and  the 
hall  porter  thinking  he  was  nobody,  said  my  father  was 
engaged  for  a  few  minutes,  and  asked  his  lordship  to  go 
to  the  nearest  '  pub.'  and  get  him  a  pint  of  porter,  giving 
him  the  halfpence  and  saying  he  should  have  a  penny 
for  himself." 

"Did  he  do  it?" 

"Yes,  and  has  told  the  story  as  a  great  joke  ever 
since.  The  porter  almost  fainted,  when  he  knew  who 
Eccleston  was,  and  that  he  was  a  cabinet  minister  with 
twenty  thousand  a  year." 

"Well,"  said  Sir  Sydney,  "if  you  are  going  in  for  the 
errand-boy  sort  of  thing,  I  will  see  you  through  it.  Let's 
get  him  a  ha'p'orth  of  arsenic  fcr  his  tooth,  and  shy  his 
parcel  at  his  head." 

"We  won't  behave  so  ferociously  as  that,"  answered 
Jack,  putting  on  his  hat 

They  left  college  together,  and  went  to  the  railway 
station,  where  they  asked  for,  and  obtained,  a  heavy 
parcel,  directed  to  Mr.  Gentle  May. 

Jack  put  it  under  his  arm,  and  as  they  strolled  back, 
they  observed  Kemp  standing  inside  the  entrance  to  a 
small  hotel  near  the  station. 

"  There  is  that  fellow  Kemp,"  said  Jack.  "  If  it  wasn't 
for  him,  I  should  like  a  beer." 

"Never  mind  him.  I  certainly  should  not  keep  out  of 
a  place  because  he  was  in  it,"  answered  Sir  Sydney. 

"Come  in,  then." 

They  entered,  and  were  asked  into  the  private  bar,  into 
which  Kemp  followed  them. 


JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  279 

Neither  Sir  Sydney  nor  Jack  took  any  notice  of  him,  and 
he  pretended  to  be  very  much  engaged  in  admiring  the 
charms  of  a  young  lady  who  officiated  as  barmaid. 

When  Jack's  back  was  turned,  the  barmaid  took  up  a 
newspaper  and  very  dexterously  pinned  it  to  his  coat 
collar. 

Two  or  three  people  came  in  and  began  to  laugh. 

First  of  all  the  merriment  was  subdued,  then  it  degen- 
erated into  a  loud  guffaw. 

Turning  round,  Jack  exclaimed — 

"What  on  earth  are  those  fellows  laughing  at?" 

"Country  bumpkins  will  laugh  at  anything,"  answered 
Sir  Sydney. 

Kemp  approached  the  mantelpiece  with  a  cigar  in  his 
mouth,  and  a  piece  of  paper  in  his  hand. 

A  small  fire  burned  in  the  grate,  more  to  keep  a  kettle 
boiling  than  because  the  weather  was  cold. 

"  If  you  don't  want  all  the  fire,  you  fellows,"  he  ex- 
claimed, "  perhaps  you  will  kindly  let  me  get  a  light." 

Sir  Sydney  moved  a  little,  but  Jack  did  not  stir. 

Kemp  bent  down,  and  putting  his  arm  between  them, 
lighted  his  cigar,  but  at  the  same  time  managed  to  set  fire 
to  the  paper  pinned  to  Jack's  back. 

"Thank  you,"  he  said,  and  withdrew. 

A  brief  space  elapsed. 

Suddenly  Sir  Sydney  exclaimed — 

"Curious  smell  of  fire,  isn't  there?" 

"  So  I  thought,"  replied  Jack. 

"  Smoke  too.     Wonder  where  it  is." 

"Ask  the  barmaid,"  said  Jack. 

"I  say,  miss,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney,  "is  there  any- 
thing burning  on  your  premises? " 

The  barmaid  looked  round,  and  replied — 

"I  think  your  friend  is  on  fire ? " 

"On  fire?" 

"Yes." 

At  this  moment  Jack  experienced  an  unpleasant  sensa- 
tion about  the  regions  of  his  legs. 

His  calves  were  unpleasantly  warm. 

"  By  Jove  !  "  he  exclaimed  ;  "I'm  hot." 

' '  Why,  who  the  deuce  has  done  this  ?  "  said  Sir  Sydney. 
"There  is  a  burning  newspaper  fastened  to  your  back. 
and  your  gown  and  coat-tails  are  smoking  like  mad. " 


280  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

''Send  for  the  engine,"  suggested  the  barmaid 

"Pull  it  off,  somebody  !  "  cried  Jack. 

He  grew  alarmed,  and  ran  wildly  about. 

The  more  he  moved  the  faster  the  flames  burned. 

Kemp  with  difficulty  refrained  from  laughing. 

In  his  terror  Jack  ran  into  the  street,  and  very  swiftly 
Sir  Sydney  ran  after  him,  and  after  tearing  off  the  paper, 
forced  him  on  his  back  in  the  gutter,  down  which  some 
dirty  water  was  running. 

"You'll  be  all  right  directly,  old  man,"  he  exclaimed, 
"  How  are  the  legs  ?  " 

"Warmish,"  replied  Jack. 

He  rose,  and  Sir  Sydney  surveyed  the  damage. 

"Bags  rather  burnt,"  he  said;  coat-tails  ditto,  body  of 
coat  injured  by  water,  ditto  gown,  cap  unhurt,  having 
rolled  into  rain.  Uninsured." 

"  Who  did  it  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"  Query,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 

Jack  found  himself  the  centre  of  an  admiring  crowd. 

"Hurrah,  boys!  here's  another  guy!"  exclaimed  a 
townsman. 

There  was  a  roar  of  laughter. 

"Better  erect  another  martyrs'  memorial,  "said  a  second. 

"  He's  Cranmer,  come  to  be  burnt  over  again,"  shouted 
a  third. 

Jack  was  getting  wild. 

Sir  Sydney  saw  this,  and  said — 

"Come  inside." 

"  Hanged  if  I  do.  I'll  have  it  out  of  somebody,"  re- 
plied Jack. 

"  You  must  pitch  into  me  first,  then,"  replied  Dawson, 
dragging  him  forcibly  into  the  house. 

"Let  go,  Dawson,"  cried  Jack,  when  inside  the  bar. 
"I  won't  be  mauled  and  messed  about  like  this  by  any- 
one. " 

"It's  only  his  Dawson,  "replied  the  baronet,  coaxingly. 
"  He  don't  mind  his  Dawson,  does  he  ?  " 

"  Don't  be  a  fool.  Where's  Kemp  ?  He  knows  some- 
thing about  this,  I'll  swear. " 

"Of  course  ;  Kemp  was  the  only  man  in  the  bar.  He 
must  have  done  it ;  I'll  swear  I  didn't.  I  hate  those 
practical  jokes. " 

"If  I    thought  you  would  lower  yourself  to   such   a 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  26  I 

thing,  I'd  never  speak  to  you  again,  that's  all,"  said  Jack, 
savagely. 

"Perhaps  I  should  survive  it,  but  I  take  my  dick  it 
wasn't  me.  Did  his  angry  passions  rise  and  get  the  better 
of  him  ?  " 

"  I  am  wild,"  replied  Jack. 

"  Enough  to  make  you." 

"Let's  get  back.  Kemp's  sloped,  I  expect,  for  I  don't 
see  him." 

"He's  wise,"  replied  Sir  Sydney.  "Hold  hard  a 
minute  ;  I  haven't  paid.  What  have  we  had?  " 

"Two  glasses  of  bitter,"  replied  Jack. 

The  barmaid  had  discreetly  vanished  as  well  as  Kemp. 

Only  a  boy  was  in  the  bar. 

"  Now  then,  stupid,"  exclaimed  Sir  Sydney  ;  "  wake  up  ! 
Do  you  hear  ?  Wake  up,  stupid  ;  I  don't  know  your 
other  name." 

' '  What  is  it,  sir  ?  "  asked  the  boy. 

' '  Two  bitters.  Catch, "  said  Sir  Sydney,  who  threw  him 
a  sixpence. 

"That's  right,  sir,"  said  the  boy.  "Bitters  is  three- 
pence to  Oxford  gents  in  the  private  bar." 

"Bismarcked  again,"  answered  Sir  Sydney.  "But  no 
matter.  Give  me  that  sixpence  back,  boy.  It.  was  a  bad 
one." 

"  Duffer,  sir  ?  I  thought  it  was  thinnish, "  said  the  boy, 
unsuspectingly,  handing  back  the  coin. 

Dawson  put  it  in  his  pocket 

"We  shall  pay  when  we  are  passing,"  he  said.  "  How- 
ever, you  will  have  your  revenge  in  two  stomachaches, 
for  the  beer  was  beastly  bad.' 

The  boy  stared  blankly  at  him. 

"Where's  my  parcel  ? "  asked  Jack,  looking  round  him. 

' '  What  parcel  ?  " 

"Why,  May's  ;  the  one  we  went  to  the  station  for." 

They  looked  everywhere  for  it,  but  it  was  gone. 

"What  a  nuisance,"  said  Jack.  "  I've  lost  the  parcel. 
Perhaps  some  of  those  fellows  at  the  bar  sneaked  it  while 
I  was  on  fire." 

"  More  unlikely  things  than  that  have  happened  in  this 
sublunary " 

"Bother  your  sublunary  spheres,"  interrupted  Jack. 
"  What  shall  I  say  to  May  ?  " 


282  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"Tell  him  it  was  a  plan  of  Kemp's,  which  I  believe  it 
really  was." 

"Do  you?" 

"I  do,  indeed." 

"  Bless  that  fellow,"  said  Jack.  "  I  should  like  to  give 
him  what  for.  It  was  like  his  infernal  cheek  to  set  me  on 
fire,  if  he  did  do  it." 

"Who  else  could?" 

"It  must  have  been  done  while  he  lighted  his  cigar." 

"  No  doubt,"  replied  Sir  Sydney. 

"I  must  tell  May  how  it  happened,  and  if  there  was 
anything  very  valuable  in  the  parcel,  I  will  pay  him  for 
it.  Can't  say  more  than  that,  can  I?  " 

"No ;  if  the  fellow  is  a  gentleman,  he  will  see  it  in  a 
moment." 

' '  Will  you  come  with  me  to  his  rooms  ? "  asked  Jack. 

"  No  thanks.  Kindly  excuse  me.  Not  a  man  I  want 
to  know  at  all." 

"Please  yourself." 

"You'd  better  re-gown  and  put  on  another  pair  of 
bags,"  laughed  Sir  Sydney. 

"I  will  when  I  get  back  to  college.  Come  along," 
replied  Jack. 

They  walked  back  together. 

Jack  was  not  in  the  best  of  tempers,  and  when  he  got 
to  his  rooms,  he  took  'off  his  boots  and  threw  them  at 
Monday's  head,  because  he  got  between  him  and  the 
light. 

"  Why  um  throw  um  boots,  sare,"  asked  Monday. 
"  Want  to  see  which  are  hardest,  um  boots  or  um  head  ? '' 

"Get  out,"  replied  Jack,  "I'm  in  a  nasty  temper." 

Monday  retired,  rubbing  his  head,  and  Jack  prepared  to 
go  to  Gentle  May's  room  by  himself. 


JA  CJi  XARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  383 


CHAPTER  XUV. 

AN  EXPOSURE. 

A  SHORT  time  after  the  scene  in  the  hotel  Kemp  made 
his  way  into  Gentle  May's  room. 

He  had  something  carefully  hidden  under  his  arm  and 
covered  with  his  gown. 

May  was  evidently  waiting  for  him,  as  he  got  up  eagerly 
from  his  seat,  and  exclaimed — 

"  Well,  did  it  come  off  all  right  ?  " 

*'  Beautifully,"  replied  Kemp. 

"  How  did  you  manage  it  ? " 

"Easily  enough.  As  I  thought,  they  came  into  the 
hotel  near  the  station,  and  I  began  to  play  my  little  game." 

"Where  is  the  parcel?" 

"  Here,"  replied  Kemp,  throwing  it  on  the  table. 

May  hastily  took  it  up,  and  hid  it  away  in  a  drawer. 

"  Only  a  flat-iron  and  a  couple  of  horse-shoes,"  he  ex- 
claimed, with  a  laugh,  and  in  a  very  different  manner  to 
that  he  usually  assumed. 

"It  doesn't  matter,"  answered  Kemp  also  laughing. 
"Jewellery  is  heavy  when  it  is  made  of  pure  gold,  and 
as  long  as  the  parcel  is  heavy,  you  can  swear  it  contained 
what  you  like." 

"  Go  on  with  your  story,"  replied  May. 

"  I  spooned  that  barmaid  awfully.  She  is  a  nice  little 
tit,  and  I  rather  liked  it.  I'm  on  there." 

"No,  be  hanged  if  you  are.     She's  an  old  spoon  of  mine. " 

"  Never  mind,  we  shan't  quarrel  about  her,"  answered 
Kemp.  "  There  are  plenty  of  little  fillies  running  about 
loose,  and  only  wants  breaking  in.  As  I  was  saying,  I 
spooned  her,  and  got  her  to  fasten  a  newspaper  to  Hark- 
away's  collar  with  a  pin. " 

"What  was  that  for?" 

"  You'll  hear  directly.     Don't  be  so  awfully  anxious." 

"All  right ;  spin  along,"  replied  May,  lighting  a  cigar, 
and  pouring  out  some  beer. 

"What's  that  ?"  asked  Kemp. 

"  Malt ;  just  fetched  from  the  buttery." 


284  J'A  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"Give  me  a  pull.  I  hadn't  time  to  drink,  and  I've 
pelted  along  so  beastly  hard  to  get  up  here  that  I'm  as  dry 
as  a  ditch  in  summer." 

May  pushed  the  tankard  over  to  him,  and  he  drank 
heartily. 

"  Feel  better  ?  "  asked  May.  "  I  do,  after  a  good  beer, 
always." 

"  Stones  better,"  answered  Kemp.  "Well,  when  I  saw 
this  done,  I  went  behind  Mr.  Harkaway  to  light  a  cigar, 
at  a  little  bit  of  fire  there  was  to  boil  the  kettle,  and  in 
doing  so  I  set  the  paper  in  a  blaze." 

' '  What  a  lark  !     Wasn't  there  a  chyike  ? '' 

"  Rather.  Dawson  was  with  him,  and  when  Harkaway 
ran  into  the  street  in  a  funk,  he  put  him  in  the  gutter." 

"Whereupon  you  sloped  with  the  plunder?" 

"  Exactly." 

"And  left  them  to  fight  it  out  ?  " 

"You're  right,  my  pippin,"  answered  Kemp.  "And 
now  fork  out  the  chips.  I've  earned  them." 

May  gave  him  four  five-pound  notes. 

"Twenty  quid,"  he  said  ;  "  that's  what  we  agreed  for, 
isn't  it  ?  " 

"  To  a  brown,  thanks, "  replied  Kemp,  storing  the  money 
away  in  his  trousers  pocket,  as  if  it  had  been  cigarette 
paper. 

"What  will  Harkaway  do?''  inquired  May,  after  a 
slight  pause. 

"  Kick  up  a  shine,  I  expect." 

"With  whom?" 

"  Me.  I  shall  be  accused  of  getting  up  the  disturbance, 
in  which  the  parcel  was  lost." 

"  You  are  very  much  alarmed  at  that,  of  course  ? " 

"Very,"  replied  Kemp,  smiling. 

"I  know  what  I  shall  do,  and  if  I  don't  make  it  hot  for 
him,  I " 

There  was  a  knock  at  the  door,  which  Kemp  had  in- 
advertently left  open. 

"  By  Jove  !  "  said  Kemp.      "  There  he  is  !  " 

"I  wish  you  were  out  of  it.  But  it  can't  be  helped. 
Stand  by  me, "  replied  May,  turning  a  shade  paler 

The  next  moment  Jack  entered  the  room. 

"Perhaps  I  am  intruding  ?  " 

"Not  at  all,"  replied  May. 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  285 

"  I  was  not  aware  Mr.  Kemp  was  a  friend  of  yours." 

"Quite  a  recent  acquaintance,  I  assure  you." 

"  Is  it  an  offence  for  me  to  know  a  fellow  with  whom 
you  are  on  terms  of  intimacy  ?  "  asked  Kemp  insolently. 

"I  don't  wish  to  talk  to  you  at  present,  therefore, 
oblige  me  by  drying  up,"  replied  Jack. 

Kemp  walked  to  the  window,  and  putting  his  hands  in 
his  pockets,  began  to  whistle. 

"  How's  your  toothache  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"  Better,  thanks.      Have  you  got  me  any  stuff?  " 

"No,  I  forgot  it.     Awfully  sorry." 

"  But  you  have  m}'-  parcel,  I  hope.  Ma  sent  me  some 
very  valuable  jewellery  in  it,  and  I  want  to  make  a  few 
presents  to  friends  who  have  been  kind  to  me,  yourself 
among  the  number,"  said  May. 

"  I  got  it,  and  unfortunately  lost  it." 

Gentle  May  started  from  his  chair. 

"  Lost  it !  "  he  exclaimed.  "Oh,  what  will  ma  say? 
Oh,  Mr.  Harkaway,  you  can  not  have  lost  it  ! " 

"  I  tell  you  I  have." 

"Impossible.  What  will  ma  say?  Dear  ma  !  she  will 
be  so  annoyed,"  continued  May. 

"Listen  to  me.  This  is  how  it  happened,"  said  Jack, 
as  he  related  all  that  had  occurred. 

May  remained  silent,  kicking  his  feet  about  restlessly. 

"  If  there  is  anything  valuable  in  the  parcel,  and  you 
will  tell  me  the  amount,  I  will  gladly  pay  you,"  Jack  said, 
at  length. 

"A  hundred  pounds  would  not  cover  my  loss.  Oh, 
Mr.  Harkaway,  I  am  sorry  for  you,  but  I  must  tell  the 
police,"  replied  May. 

"Sorry  for  me?     Why?" 

"The  circumstances  are  so  suspicious." 

"What  the  deuce  do  you  mean?"  said  Jack,  all  the 
blood  coming  into  his  face. 

"  I  told  you  the  parcel  was  valuable  in  my  note." 

"Well?" 

"  And  you  live  in  a  fast  set." 

"  Hang  me  if  I  take  your  meaning,"  replied  Jack. 

"  I  don't  say  so,  but  there's  ill-natured  people  who 
would  say  you— a— you  stole  the  jewellery,"  said  May. 

This  was  more  than  Jack  could  stand. 

"You    contemptible    little   humbug,"  he  said. 


286  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

have  your  life.  How  dare  you  say  such  a  thing  to  me  ? 
How  dare  you  ? " 

He  rushed  at  him,  seized  him  by  the  neck,  and  shook 
him  like  a  rat. 

Each  time  he  shook  him  he  repeated — 

' '  How  dare  you  ? — how  dare  you  ?  " 

"Oh,  don't,  please  don't!  Ma  said  I  was  not  strong 
enough  to  fight,"  gasped  Gentle  May. 

Kemp  advanced  in  a  threatening  attitude. 

"  Let  him  alone,"  he  exclaimed. 

Jack  looked  at  him. 

"  Did  you  hear  what  he  said  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Yes." 

"  Am  I  not  justified  in  shaking  the  little  beast  ?  " 

"No.  He  was  more  justified  in  what  he  said,"  said 
Kemp. 

"Oh,  was  he?  Well,  I'll  polish  you  off  first.  I've  got 
an  account  of  long  standing  to  settle  with  you,"  answered 
Jack. 

He  released  May  who  sank  into  a  chair  and  began  to 
cry. 

"  Oh,"  he  said.  "  what  would  ma  say,  and  Bobby  and 
Tommy,  and  all  my  other  sisters  ?  What  a  disgraceful 
scene  in  my  rooms,  too  ! " 

Jack  threw  out  his  left  and  Kemp  rolled  over  on  to  the 
sofa. 

"Come  on,"  said  Jack.  "I'll  give  you  something  to 
remember,  Mr.  Kemp.  You  don't  perform  upon  me  for 
nothing,  I  can  tell  you. " 

Kemp  was  rather  dizzy  from  the  effects  of  the  blow. 

"I'm  not  a  prize-fighter,"  he  said. 

"Nor  I." 

"Let  the  little  fellow  alone.  A  strong  man  like  you 
ought  to  be  ashamed  to  hit  a  little  one  like  May." 

"Is  a  little  man  to  be  cheeky,  just  because  he  is 
small  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

Kemp  made  no  answer. 

"  If  you  won't  fight,  take  that,"  said  Jack,  kicking  him, 
"and  sit  still  while  I  perform  the  same  operation  upon 
this  contemptible  cur,  who  is  more  so  in  my  eyes  than 
ever  since  I  find  he  knows  a  man  of  your  stamp." 

"My  stamp?"  said  Kemp,  retiring  again  to  the 
window. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  287 

"Yes.  Everyone  in  Oxford  knows  what  you  are, 
from  the  dons  to  the  scouts. 

"  Oh  ! "  groaned  May,  "  that  I  should  ever  live  to  wit- 
ness such  a  scene." 

"I  haven't  begun  yet,"  answered  Jack.  "Come  out, 
you  whining  hound.  You'll  tell  me  I  stole  your  parcel, 
will  you  ?  Come  out  ? " 

May  refused  to  move. 

Jack  made  another  dash  at  him,  and  seized  him  by  the 
hair. 

To  his  surprise,  he  fell  backwards. 

Instead  of  clutching  hair,  he  had  simply  pulled  off  a 
light  wig. 

In  an  instant  he  was  on  his  feet  again. 

Before  him  stood,  or  rather  crouched,  in  an  attitude  of 
abject  terror,  not  Gentle  May,  but  Frank  Davis. 

"Davis!"  he  cned.  "Is  this  another  conspiracy? 
Kicked  out  of  the  university,  have  you  dared  to  disguise 
yourself  and  enter  under  a  false  name? '' 

There  was  a  dead  silence. 

"This  accounts  for  Mr.  Kemp  being  here,  and  the 
alleged  loss  of  the  valuable  parcel,"  cried  Jack.  "Well, 
you're  a  nice  pair  of  beauties,  anyhow ;  but,  you  see,  you 
are  not  a  match  for  me." 

Still  neither  spoke. 

"Wanted  to  make  me  out  a  thief,  did  you  ?  "  continued 
Jack,  between  his  teeth — "wanted  to  have  me  accused 
of  a  robbery,  eh  ?  Clever  idea,  but  you're  licked,  my 
boys.  You  didn't  do  it  badly,  Mr.  Davis.  You  took  me 
in  as  Mr.  May,  and  I'll  compliment  you  on  your  acting, 
but  you  went  a  little  too  far  with  your  humble  servant. " 

"Since  you  have  found  me  out,"  said  Davis,  "I  have 
only  to  beg  for  your  mercy." 

"What  do  you  expect? 

"  Give  me  till  to-morrow  to  get  away  out  of  the  univer- 
sity, and  I  will  never  trouble  you  again." 

"  I  will  not  give  you  any  time,  Mr.  Davis,"  said  Jack. 
"You  shall  be  exposed  at  once.  You  had  to  leave 
Oxford  for  a  disgraceful  abduction  ;  the  police  ^  have  got 
a  warrant  out  against  you  for  your  arrest  now." 

"Spare  me,"  said  Davis  abjectly. 

"Will  I  ?  Wait  till  I  see  the  dean  and  the  police.  I'll 
hunt  you  out  of  Oxford,  you  vermin. " 


288  JA CK  HA RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

Davis  sank  back  again  in  his  chair,  and  covered  his 
face  with  his  hands. 

He  had  come  back  to  Oxford  after  his  flight,  disguised 
in  such  a  manner  that  he  thought  he  should  be  able  to 
defy  detection. 

Who  could  trace  any  resemblance  between  the  sharp, 
keen  Frank  Davis  and  the  simple,  stupid  Gentle  May? 

One  was  dark. 

The  latter  fair. 

It  was  a  good  plot,  but  Jack's  luck  had  frustrated  its 
design. 

Of  course,  his  hope  and  end  was  to  ruin  Jack  in  some  way. 

First  of  all  he  tried  to  make  him  break  his  neck,  by 
riding  his  vicious  horse. 

Then  with  Kemp's  aid — Kemp  being  in  the  secret  all 
the  time — he  wished  to  make  him  out  the  stealer  of  the 
pretended  jewellery  in  the  parcel 

If  this  had  been  circulated,  it  would  have  done  Hark- 
away  a  great  deal  of  harm. 

Gentlemen  are  particular. 

They  do  not  '  ke  to  have  their  friends  talked  about. 

"What  do  you  mean  to  do?"  asked  Davis,  at  length. 

"  I  have  proved  that  you  came  back  to  Oxford  under  a 
false  name,  when  you  had  tak^  .  your  real  name  off  the 
books.  You  are  an  impostor.  You  have  committed  an 
offence  against  the  law,  by  carrying  off  a  girl  against  her 
will,  and  keeping  her  confined  in  a  labourer's  cottage. 
If  that  is  not  enough  to  ruin  you  forever,  I  don't  know 
what  is,"  replied  Jack. 

"  Let  me  go,"  said  Davis.     "  I'll  return  to  Singapore." 

"I  can't  trust  you,"  answered  Jack.  "The  police  and 
the  college  authorities  must  deal  with  you.  Your  acting 
is  too  good  for  me  to  sleep  easily  while  I  know  you  are 
about." 

Driven  temporarily  mad,  Davis  paced  the  room,  his 
face  convulsed  with  passion. 

"Have  you  no  mercy? "he  asked,  stopping  in  front 
of  Jack. 

"  Have  you  shown  me  any?  "  replied  Jack. 

"The  fact  was  I  loved  Emily." 

"  Why  should  you  hate  me  in  consequence?  " 

"  Because  I  saw  there  was  no  hope  for  me  while  you 
lived,"  said  Davis. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  289 

"And  therefore  you  wanted  to  kill  or  ruin  me.  Thank 
you.  I'm  obliged  to  you — sincerely  obliged,"  answered 
Jack,  sarcastically. 

"Let  me  go  away,  I  swear  you  shall  never  see  or 
hear  from  me  again." 

"I  will  not" 

Jack  spoke  in  a  tone  of  decision. 

"  Kemp,"  said  Davis. 

"Well,  "said  Kemp. 

"Take  this  man  away.  I  want  to  get  out  of  the 
room. " 

"I  can't  interfere.  He's  too  big  for  me,"  answered 
Kemp,  who  was  a  coward  in  his  heart. 

"By  heaven  !  "  screamed  Davis  ;  "  I  will  get  out  some- 
how." 

He  made  a  rush  at  the  door. 

Jack's  iron  frame  interposed,  and  he  was  frustrated  in 
this  attempt. 

The  window  was  open. 

He  took  one  glance  at  it. 

One  long,  mad,  despairing  glance. 

"I  cannot  be  exposed  and  disgraced,"  he  muttered. 
' '  I  must  go  !  I  must  !  I  must  I  I  MUST  !  " 

The  excitement  under  which  he  was  labouring  was  too 
much  for  him. 

Making  a  wild  spring,  he  rushed  to  the  window,  jumped 
on  the  sill,  and  waved  his  arms. 

"Curse  you  !  "  he  cried.  "  May  my  dying  curse  cling 
to  both  of  you. " 

The  next  moment  he  bad  thrown  himself  into  the  quad 

He  fell  headlong. 

"Save  him— stop  him!    For  God's  sake  save  him  ! 
exclaimed  Jack,  who  did  not  believe  he  was  in  earnest, 
till  he  saw  him  fall. 

Kemp  did  not  move. 

He  stood  like  a  marble  statue,  with  blanched  lips  and 
motionless  hands. 


2QO  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

CHAPTER    XLV. 

JACK    IS    HAUNTED. 

JACK  was  the  first  to  recover  his  presence  of  mind. 

Running  down  stairs  he  entered  the  quad,  and  found 
Davis  lying  on  his  back,  apparently  dead,  the  blood  ooz- 
ing from  a  wound  in  his  head. 

The  miserable  young  man,  in  a  moment  of  frenzy,  had 
committed  suicide. 

He  could  not  bear  the  disgrace  which  would  follow 
exposure,  and  his  hot  southern  blood  was  inflamed  to 
such  an  extent  that  he  was  not  master  of  himself. 

In  an  instant  Kemp  was  by  his  side. 

He  knelt  down  and  put  one  hand  on  Davis's  heart, 
while  he  held  his  watch  open  in  the  other  and  looked  at 
the  second  hand. 

A  small  crowd  had  collected  round  them,  consisting  of 
undergraduates  and  others  who  were  crossing  the  quad. 

"Is  he  dead  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"Yes,"  replied  Kemp,  briefly. 

Without  saying  another  word,  he  ran  to  the  porter's 
lodge,  and  presently  returned  with  a  shutter,  upon  which 
the  body  was  placed. 

"Where  are  you  going  to  take  him  ?"  asked  Jack  again. 

"What's  that  to  you?"  replied  Kemp.  "Mind  your 
own  business.  If  it  had  not  been  for  you,  this  would  not 
have  happened." 

Jack  was  silent. 

He  felt  that  he  had  been  the  indirect  cause  of  Davis's 
death,  and  he  was  sorry. 

The  man  had  done  nothing  to  deserve  his  sympathy  or 
command  his  friendship. 

On  the  contrary. 

He  had  been  his  determined  enemy. 

Still  it  was  very  shocking  to  see  any  one  stricken  down 
in  this  awful  way,  in  the  pride  and  strength  of  his  youth. 

The  fall  from  the  second-floor  window  was  quite 
enough  to  account  for  death. 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  2  9 1 

In  melancholy  silence  the  shutter  was  carried  away. 

At  this  juncture  Sir  Sydney  Dawson  joined  the  crowd. 
:  What  is  the  diversion  ?  "  he-exclaimed. 
'Davis  has  committed  suicide,"  replied  Jack. 
Davis  !  " 

'Yes,"  said  Jack,  abstractedly. 

'But,"  said  Sir  Sydney,  in  surprise,  "I  thought  Mr. 
Davis  had  left  the  university,  and  that  St.  Aldate's  was 
free  from  his  unsavoury  presence." 

"Ah,  you  don't  know.  I  went  to  Gentle  May's  room 
and  I  found  that  May  was  Davis  in  disguise.  He  accused 
me  of  stealing  his  parcel,  which  you  know  very  well  I 
did  not  do.  I  made  a  rush  at  him,  his  wig  came  off, 
and  when  he  found  he  was  discovered,  and  I  meant  to 
expose  him,  he  went  mad,  and  jumped  out  of  the  win- 
dow. " 

"  Where  is  he  now  ?  " 

"Kernp  has  taken  him  away  somewhere." 

"  Poor  beggar?  what  an  end,"  said  Sir  Sydney. 

The  men  who  were  standing  around  went  away  after 
hearing  the  explanation,  and  dividing  into  twos  and 
threes,  began  to  talk  about  the  strange  occurrence. 

Sir  Sydney  took  Jack's  arm,  and  drew  him  towards  the 
gateway. 

Jack  followed  passively. 

Turning  down  a  by-street,  they  found  themselves  near 
the  Randolph  Hotel,  and  going  in,  Sir  Sydney  handed 
Jack  his  cigar-case  and  ordered  a  bottle  of  wine. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  ? "  said  Jack. 

"You  must  have  a  glass  of  something  to  keep  you  up," 
replied  Sir  Sydney  ;  "  you  are  a  cup  too  low.  This  will 
never  do." 

"I  can't  help  reproaching  myself  with  Jhat  man's 
death. "said  Jack. 

"Have  a  weed?" 

"No,  thanks  ;  I  am  too  nervous  to  smoke." 

"What  was  the  cause  of  the  feud  between  you?  I 
never  really  knew  why  you  and  Davis  were  at  vari- 
ance. " 

"  He  met  me  in  Singapore,"  said  Jack  ;  "  you  know  I 
have  been  abroad  a  great  deal.  Well,  he  fell  in  love  with 
mv  little  pet,  Emily,  whom  I  am  to  marry  as  soon  as  I 
have  taken  my  B.  A.  degree. " 


292  JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORb. 

"Oh,  is  the  happy  event  to  take  place  as  soon  as  you 
are  a  bachelor  of  arts  ?  " 

"  I  hope  so.  Davis's  father  sent  him  over  here  to  be 
educated,  and  though  he  had  treated  me  very  badly  in 
Singapore,  he  was  not  satisfied  with  that ;  he  began  again 
here,  and  palled  in  with  Kemp.  Between  them,  they 
have  occasioned  me  a  lot  of  worry,  and  another  old 
enemy — Hunston,  has  stood  in  with  them." 

"You  ought  not  to  be  sorry  at  Davis'  death." 

"  If  he  had  died  in  any  other  way,  it  would  have  been 
different ;  it  is  such  a  shocking  thing,  his  going  off  as  he 
did.  I  shall  never  get  over  it." 

"Nonsense,  man,"  said  Sir  Sydney.  "  Drink  some  of 
this  champagne,  and  don't  be  a  child." 

"  He  asked  me  to  forgive  him." 

"  And  very  naturally  you  would  not  ?  " 

"No." 

"  How  could  you  ?  " 

"  He  said  he  would  never  molest  me  again,  if  I  would 
let  him  get  away,  and  not  expose  him,"  answered  Jack. 

"  Very  likely  indeed  that  you  were  going  to  believe 
him,"  replied  Sir  Sydney.  "  How  did  he  explain  his  com- 
ing up  here  again,  in  disguise  as  Gentle  May  ? " 

"It's  no  use  talking  about  it,"  said  Jack.  "He  was 
wrong,  but  I  wasn't  right ;  I  ought  to  have  forgiven  him, 
and  let  him  go." 

"  To  give  you  more  annoyance  in  the  future — a  very 
likely  thing  indeed,"  laughed  Dawson,  ironically.  "If 
the  man  chose  to  go  cranky,  and  jump  out  of  a  window, 
it  was  not  your  fault." 

"What  will  the  world  say,  if  there  is  an  inquest,  which 
I  suppose  there  will  be  ?  " 

"Served  him  right,  that  will  be  the  verdict.  No  one 
will  be  sorry  for  the  vicious  little  Creole. " 

"Think  not  ?  "  asked  Jack,  looking  up  rather  hopefully. 

"  I  am  sure  of  it." 

"Won't  they  blame  me?  " 

"  How  can  they?  If  the  facts  are  explained,  you  are 
sure  to  come  out  of  it  with  clean  hands.  If  you  had 
pushed  him  out  of  the  window,  it  would  be  a  different 
thing  altogether ;  he  did  it  of  his  own  free  will  and 
accord,  and  I  cannot  see  how  you  are  to  blame  in  the 
-natter." 


JACK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  293 

"  I  can't  get  the  sight  out  of  my  eyes.  The  poor  fellow 
looked  so  awful,  lying  in  the  quad,  with  the  blood  on  his 
face. " 

'  He  wouldn't  let  you  alone,"  said  Dawson. 
'  I  shall  be  haunted  by  him,  I  know  I  shall." 
'  Rot !     Take  a  weed  ?  " 
'  No,  thanks,"  persisted  Jack. 

'  I  say  you  shall.  Drink  this  wine,  and  then  we  will 
have  a  talk." 

Jack  was  compelled  to  smoke  and  take  a  glass  of  wine. 
When  the  bottle  was  finished,  they  strolled  about,  and 
dropped  into  a  billiard-room,  where  there  were  some  Ox- 
ford men,  whom  they  joined  in  a  game  of  shell-out  for 
shillings. 

' '  What  are  you  playing  ?  "  asked  Dawson. 

"Only  shell-out,"  said  a  voice. 

It  was  Harvey. 

"Is  that  you,  Dick?"  asked  Jack,  looking  up  with 
swollen  eyes. 

"Yes,  old  man  ;  what's  come  to  you?" 

"  I'll  tell  you  presently.     What's  your  game?  " 

"Shell-out.  Very  mild;  only  for  bobs.  Will  you 
play  ?  " 

"  Of  course  he  will,"  said  Sir  Sydney  ;  "  that's  what  I 
brought  him  here  for." 

The  balls  were  all  put  on  the  table,  and  the  game 
began. 

When  Harvey  had  an  opportunity  of  talking  to  Jack, 
he  said — 

"  What's  all  the  row  about  May  and  Davis,  suicide  and 
grief,  and  all  the  rest  of  it  ?  Everyone  is  talking  about  it, 
and  they  say  it  wasn't  your  fault" 

Jack  told  him  all. 

"  Well,  I'm — what  shall  I  say  ? — knocked  off  my  perch, 
flummoxed,  hit  into  a  heap,  sat  upon,  and  utterly  extin- 
guished," exclaimed  Harvey.  "Who'd  have  thought  it? 
But  didn't  I  warn  you  against  the  beggar  May,  alias 
Davis  ?  My  instinct  told  me  there  was  something  wrong 
about  the  swab." 

Jack  make  no  reply,  and  when  the  game  was  over,  he 
went  back  to  college. 

For  a  week  or  more  Kemp  was  absent 

At  the  expiration  of  that  time,  as  Jack  was  coming  out 


294  J*  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

of  chape!,  he  saw  Kemp,  and  an  irresistible  impulse 
induced  him  to  stop  him. 

"  Mr.  Kemp,"  he  said,  touching  his  shoulder. 

"Well,"  replied  Kemp,  coldly. 

"Can  I  have  a  word  with  you?  " 

"Certainly,  if  you  wish  it." 

"  What  has  become  of  Davis  ?  I  have  looked  in  all  the 
Oxford  papers,  and  have  seen  no  account  of  an  inquest." 

"  Perhaps  not,"  replied  Kemp  ;  "he  recovered  a  little, 
and  I  took  him  to  his  friends  in  London,  not  wishing  him 
to  die — if  he  was  to  die,  amongst  strangers." 

"And  is  he  dead  ?  " 

"  Yes,  three  days  ago  ;  he  was  buried  yesterday." 

"Where?" 

"In  Kensal  Green  Cemetery,  and  as  soon  as  the  cere- 
mony was  over,  I  came  back,"  continued  Kemp. 

"  Was  there  no  inquest  ?  " 

"None.  We  wished  the  affair  to  be  kept  dark,  and  if 
you  have  any  regard  for  the  unfortunate  man  whom  you 
have  driven  to  the  grave " 

"I?" 

"Well,  we  won't  quarrel  about  it,"  said  Kemp;  all  I 
will  say  is  if  you  wish  him  well,  now  he  is  gone,  you  will 
hold  your  tongue  about  the  matter.  It  is  a  sad  thing,  the 
saddest  that  I  ever  mixed  up  in.  Good-morning." 

He  passed  on,  and  Jack  went  back  to  his  rooms  to 
breakfast 

A  month  passed,  during  which  time  he  was  very  gloomy 
and  miserable. 

Davis's  death  preyed  upon  his  mind. 

Being  naturally  a  good-hearted  man,  he  could  not  bear 
the  idea  of  having  caused  Davis's  death,  through  refusing 
to  forgive  him. 

But  how  was  he  to  tell  the  man  would  go  mad,  and 
jump  out  of  the  window  ? 

If  people  will  do  these  extraordinary  things,  they  are 
alone  to  blame  and  must  take  the  consequences. 

It  wanted  but  three  weeks  to  the  Christmas  vacation. 

Jack  was  reading  hard,  and  he  looked  forward  eagerly 
to  the  holidays,  which  would  enable  him  to  have  a  change, 
and  perhaps  turn  his  thoughts  into  a  more  healthy  channel. 

It  may  seem  very  silly,  but  he  thought  that  he  was 
haunted  by  the  ghost  of  Davis. 


JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  2  95 

He  often  sat  up  till  three  in  the  morning  reading  hard, 
and  when  he  looked  up  from  his  book,  he  fancied  he  saw 
a  shadowy  form  standing  near  the  window,  jumping  on 
the  sill  and  falling  backwards. 

He  would  rush  to  the  window,  and  find  it  closed. 

Then  he  laughed  at  his  silly  fancies,  but  they  made  an 
impression  on  him  nevertheless,  and  he  grew  thin  and 
pale. 

Harvey,  with  the  eye  of  an  old  friend,  did  not  fail  to 
see  this  change  in  Jack. 

One  evening  he  came  in  and  said — 

"I  feel  rather  low  to-night,  Jack,  and  want  a  livener. 
Send  Monday  for  a  bowl  of  bishop  to  the  '  Mitre.'  " 

"  I  am  busy,"  replied  Jack,  looking  up  from  his  Herod- 
otus, "  but  you  can  have  what  you  like.  Start  the  black." 

"  Monday  !  "  shouted  Harvey. 

"I'm  coming,  sare,"  replied  Monday,  from  his  private 
room. 

"Go  and  get  a  bowl  of  bishop,  and  look  sharp." 

"Give  um  money,  sare." 

"Go  to  Putney.     Stick  it  up  to  Mr.   Harka way's  tick." 

"  I  never  tick  now,"  said  Jack. 

"I'll  pay  for  it ;  then  perhaps  you'll  drink  it  when  it 
comes,"  exclaimed  Harvey. 

"I  never  drink  now,"  answered  Jack. 

"Have  a  cigar?" 

"I  never  smoke  now,  thanks  ;  you  know  I  am  going 
up  for  smalls. " 

"What  on  earth  do  you  do  then?" 

"See  ghosts,"  said  Jack,  nervously. 

Harvey  laughed. 

"Go  and  get  the  bishop,  Monday,  and  be  lively  over 
it, "  he  said,  and  when  the  black  had  gone,  he  continued 
—"The  fact  is,  Jack,  old  boy,  that  you  are  reading  too 
hard,  and  drinking  too  much  green  tea.  It  won't  do. 
Stash  it,  my  dear  fellow." 

Jack  shook  his  head  in  a  melancholy  manner. 

"You  won't  believe  me,"  he  said.  "But  I  give  you 
my  word  I  saw  Davis  last  night." 

"Davis?" 

"  His  ghost,  I  mean." 

"Where?" 

"  In  this  room,"  said  Jack  earnestly. 


296  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  How  did  he  come  in  ?  How  did  he  go  out  ?  "  asked 
Harvey. 

"  He  came  in  through  the  door,  walked  round  the 
room,  and  how  he  went  away  I  don't  know,  for  I  fainted." 

"It's  all  through  reading  too  hard,  Jack,"  replied 
Harvey.  "You  were  the  best  oar  in  the  eight,  the  best 
bat  in  the  eleven,  and  your  beastly  ambition  wants  you 
to  be  first  in  the  class  list." 

"No.     It's  not  that." 

"I'm  satisfied  it  is,  and  before  I'd  ruin  my  health,  I'-l 
see  the  classical  tripos  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  You 
can't  be  everything. " 

"I  don't  want  to  be,"  said  Jack. 

"You  do.     You  want  to  be  an  Admirable  Crichton." 

"Not  at  all,"  replied  Jack  feebly. 

"You're  a  born  athletic,  a  rowing-man,  a  cricketer,  and 
all  that  sort  of  thing,  but  you  are  not  fit  for  reading  hard. 
Take  it  easy,  and  fluke  it  when  you  go  into  the  schools." 

Monday  arrived  with  the  bowl  of  bishop,  and  both  the 
young  men  paid  partial  attention  to  it,  Jack's  spirits  re- 
viving a  little  under  its  genial  influence. 

About  eleven  o'clock,  Harvey,  after  smoking  a  rather 
strong  cigar,  felt  sleepy  and  said  good-night,  while  Jack 
continued  to  read  Herodotus. 

"  Cut  that  old  Greek  buffer,"  said  Harvey,  "and  turn 
in  between  the  sheets.  You  want  lots  of  sleep. " 

"Then  I  want  what  I  can't  get.  My  head  aches  like 
blazes  now,"  answered  Jack. 

"Come  down  and  play  at  football,  or  do  something." 

"I'll  tie  a  wet  towel  round  my  head,  and  go  on  sap- 
ping." 

"All  right — ta,  ta  !  We  are  going  to  have  a  hard  frost, 
and  I'll  have  you  out  as  soon  as  the  ice  bears,"  said 
Harvey. 

Jack  went  on  reading,  turning  to  his  dictionary  every 
now  and  then,  and  at  last  wetted  a  towel  in  the  hand- 
basin,  and  tied  it  round  his  head. 

It  might  have  been  twelve  o'clock  when  he  heard  a 
noise. 

Looking  up,  he  saw  the  door  open,  and  Frank  Davis 
entered,  or,  rather  glided,  into  the  room. 

His  movements  were  like  that  of  the  ghosts  in  the 
"Corsican  Brothers." 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  297 

Eyes  fixed  and  glassy,  a  wound  on  his  forehead,  which, 
was  stained  with  blood,  the  clothes  he  had  on  when  he 
fell  from  the  window. 

Slowly  he  walked  past  Jack,  and  went  to  the  window. 

He  looked  out  and  turned  back. 

"Who  and  what  are  you?  "  almost  screamed  Jade. 

There  was  no  reply. 

A  cold  sweat  broke  out  all  over  him. 

Mocking  laughter  seemed  to  come  from  various  parts 
of  the  room. 

Trembling  like  a  leaf,  Jack  watched  the  apparition  with 
all-devouring  sight. 

It  made  the  circuit  of  the  room,  and  regained  the  door. 

Then  it  fixed  its  snake-like  eyes  upon  Jack,  raised  its 
arm  threateningly,  and  vanished. 

Harkaway  let  his  head  fall  upon  his  hands,  and  for  a 
time  lost  all  consciousness. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 

THE  GHOST  ON   THE   ICE. 

IT  was  clear  to  all  Jack's  friends  that  he  was  far  from 
well. 

They  put  it  down  to  hard  work  and  close  study,  but 
Jack  knew  that  he  was  haunted,  and  the  impression  grew 
upon  his  mind. 

A  day  or  two  after  the  apparition  we  have  described, 
Jack  walked  down  to  the  house  of  the  first  doctor  in 
Oxford. 

He  was  admitted  into  the  consulting-room,  the  door 
was  shut,  and  he  was  alone  with  Dr.  Angus,  who  was 
justly  considered  one  of  the  best  physicians  of  the  day. 

"What's  the  matter,  Mr.— Mr.  Harkaway?"  asked  the 
doctor,  looking  at  Jack's  card.  "Nothing  serious,  I 
hope." 

"I  can  tell  you  my  disease  in  three  words,"  said  Jack. 

' '  Do  so. " 

"  I  am  haunted." 

The  doctor  looked  surprised. 

"Are  you  a  reading  man  ? "  he  asked 


2  98  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

"  I  have  been  reading  lately." 

"Do  you  have  delusions,  or  do  you  see  apparitions?" 

"The  latter,"  replied  Jack. 

"What  shape  does  it  take  ?  " 

"The  form  of  a  man  I  used  to  know,  who,  partly 
tnrough  my  fault,  fell  out  of  the  window  and  broke  his 
neck." 

"Lately?" 

"A  week  or  two  ago,"  answered  Jack. 

"  Was  he  a  very  dear  friend  ?  "  asked  Doctor  Angus. 

"  No  ;  on  the  contrary,  he  was  an  enemy,  but  I  upbraid 
myself  for  his  death." 

"I  perceive.  Remorse  will  often  produce  a  morbid 
state  of  mind.  When  and  where  do  you  see  the  ghost  ? " 

"At  night  in  my  rooms.  Twice  I  have  seen  it  -in  the 
street  in  broad  daylight,  walking  in  front  Of  me." 

"Describe  the  man  to  me  minutely,"  said  the  doctor. 

"  He  is  dressed,  as  he  was  when  he  died,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  cap  and  gown.  Black  hair  cut  short,  pale 
face,  and  a  deep  red  stain  on  his  temple,  just  as  I  saw 
him  lying  in  the  quad  of  St.  Aldate's  after  the  accident " 

"Curious  case,"  said  the  doctor,  musingly.  "I  can 
see  that  this  fancy  is  making  you  quite " 

"  You  believe,  then,  it  is  fancy  ?  "  Jack  replied. 

"Who  can  speak  with  certainty?"  answered  Doctor 
Angus.  "I  never  saw  a  ghost,  and  never  met  anyone 
who  had,  but  it  would  be  rash  on  that  account  to  say 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  ghost." 

"I  always  laughed  at  the  idea  of  ghosts,  until  lately," 
said  Jack.  "But  since  I  have  been  haunted  by  Davis,  I 
can't  help  believing  that " 

Suddenly  he  stopped  speaking. 

His  face  went  ashy  pale,  his  frame  quivered,  and  with 
trembling  hands  he  pointed  in  the  direction  of  a  little 
window,  partly  covered  with  a  gauze  blind,  which  looked 
into  the  street  about  five  feet  above  the  level  of  the  pave- 
ment. 

If  a  passer-by  chose  to  be  rude  enough,  he  could  just 
look  over  the  top  of  the  blind  into  the  physician's  study. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  asked  the  doctor,  alarmed  at 
his  visitor's  manner. 

"There  !  "  cried  Jack.      "  I  saw  it  again." 

"Where?" 


JA  CK  HA  RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  299 

"  At  the  window.  He  was  staring  at  me,  as  he  always 
does,  with  his  great  black  eyes ;  oh,  I  cannot  bear  it,  he 
haunts  me  everywhere." 

Doctor  Angus  rose,  and  went  to  the  window. 

There  was  no  one  there,  and  but  few  people  in  the  street 

"  Singular  case  of  delusion,"  he  said. 

"  But  1  saw  him,"  persisted  Jack. 

The  doctor  shook  his  head. 

"  Do  you  think  I  am  mistaken  ?  "  asked  Jack. 

"I'm  sure  of  it.  You  must  leave  off  reading  ;  go  more 
into  the  open  air.  I  think,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  you  are 
one  of  the  shining  lights  of  our  university,  Mr.  Harkaway. 
I  seem  to  be  familiar  with  your  name." 

"  I  am  in  the  eleven  and  the  eight,"  answered  Jack. 

"Exactly.  I  thought  so;  now  take  my  advice.  Go 
out  more  ;  you  shall  have  some  medicine  of  a  tonic  char- 
acter, and  I  hope  to  see  you  better  soon.  Give  me  a  call 
in  a  week's  time." 

Jack  slipped  a  guinea  into  the  doctor's  hand,  which 
was  his  fee,  thanked  him,  and  went  away. 

He  was  not  at  all  satisfied  with  the  interview. 

To  have  a  fixed  delusion  in  one's  mind  at  his  age  is 
not  pleasant. 

Nor  is  it  agreeable  to  fancy  that  you  have  continually 
a  dead  man  about  you. 

The  weather  continued  very  cold. 

Every  night  there  was  a  hard  black  frost,  and  the  dull, 
heavy  sky  and  easterly  wind  promised  a  long  continuance 
of  cold  weather. 

One  morning  Harvey  burst  into  Jack's  rooms  after 
breakfast. 

"  Hurrah  !  "  he  cried,  jumping  about  like  a  madman. 

"What's  the  row,  Dick?"  asked  Jack.  "Can't  you 
stand  still,  instead  of  going  about  like  a  teetotum  ?  " 

"The  ice  bears,  "replied  Harvey,  "and  I  feel  so  jolly, 
I  can't  be  quiet." 

"  Does  it  bear  ?     I'm  glad  of  that." 

"  So  am  I,  old  flick.     We'll  have  some  skating  to-day." 

"Where?" 

"I've  got  an  invitation  from  Holloway.  You  know 
Hollaway,  don't  you  ? " 

"Yes.     His  people  live  close  by,  don't  they ? " 

"That's  it.     There  is  some  splendid  ornamental  watei 


300  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

in  his  governor's  park,  and  we  shall  be  all  to  ourselves 
there.     The  dog-cart  is  coming  to  fetch  us  at  eleven." 

"  Has  he  asked  me  too  ?  "  inquired  Jack. 

"Yes.     I  made  him  put  you  in  the  party." 

"Monday,"  called  Jack,  showing  more  animation  than 
his  face  had  displayed  for  some  time  past. 

"What  um  matter  now,  sare?"  replied  Monday,  com- 
ing into  the  room. 

"  Get  my  skates  ;  rub  them  up  well  with  a  bit  of  sand- 
paper and  oil  the  straps." 

Monday  was  shivering  with  the  cold. 

"Wish  um  was  back  in  Limbi,  sare,"  he  said.  "It  so 
jolly  cold  here." 

''That's  the  beauty  of  it,  you  chuckle-headed  old  cod- 
fish," replied  Harvey,  laughing. 

"Monday  him  got  on  three  flannel  shirt,  two  pair 
drawers,  and  four  waistcoats,  but  yet  um  not  warm." 

"  You  extravagant  beast.  Anyone  would  take  you  for 
an  animated  old-clothes  shop." 

Monday  went  away,  rubbing  his  hands,  to  get  the 
skates  ready. 

Jack  and  Harvey  walked  over  to  Holloway's  rooms,  and 
fond  him  waiting  for  them. 

The  dog-cart  was  in  readiness,  and  the  three  got  in, 
being  driven  quickly  away. 

As  they  crossed  Magdalen  Bridge  Harvey  noticed  a 
one-armed  man  looking  at  them. 

'That's  Hunston,"  he  exclaimed. 

'  Is  it?  What  does  the  fellow  want  in  Oxford?  Mis- 
ch  ef  brewing  again,"  answered  Jack. 

'  Seen  any  ghosts  lately  ? "  asked  Harvey. 

'No  ;  not  for  some  days." 

'You're  getting  better.  I  thought  you  would,"  said 
Harvey,  gladly. 

When  they  reached  the  Hall,  where  Holloway  lived,  a 
merry  party  was  assembled. 

The  old  squire,  his  wife,  their  charming  daughters,  and 
four  boys  home  for  their  holidays,  crowded  round  them, 
making  them  welcome. 

"Come  inside,  gentlemen,"  said  the  squire,  "and  take 
the  edge  off  your  appetites.  There  is  a  boar's  head,  pheas- 
ant pie,  and  a  host  of  things,  which  I  hope  you  will  do 
me  the  honour  to  tasta " 


JA CK  HA RKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  30 1 

In  vain  Jack  pleaded  that  he  had  breakfasted. 

He  wa»  taken  into  the  dining-room  and  compelled  to 
eat,  afterwards  drinking  a  flagon  of  home-brewed. 

"  Now  for  the  ice,"  cried  everybody. 

They  took  up  their  skates,  and  joined  the  party  at  the 
front  door. 

The  girls  and  boys  all  skated,  and  were  in  high  glee  at 
the  prospect  before  them. 

"  Ha  !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Hollo  way,  as  the  sound  of 
wheels  was  heard,  and  a  carriage  was  seen  coming  up 
the  avenue,  "here  is  an  arrival.  The  more  the  mer- 
rier. " 

"It's  Mrs.  Travers's  carriage, "  said  young  Holloway  ; 
"  I  know  her  pair  of  greys." 

At  the  mention  of  this  name,  Jack's  face  brightened. 

Perhaps  Emily  was  with  her,  as  Mrs.  Travers  seldom 
travelled  without  her  companion. 

The  next  minute,  the  carriage  drove  up,  and  Mrs. 
Travers  and  Emily  stepped  out,  followed  by  two  boys 
and  the  same  number  of  girls. 

"Emily,  my  darling,  "exclaimed  Jack,  shaking  her  hand, 
"this  is  really  a  pleasure,  and  the  more  charming  because 
it  was  unexpected." 

The  Misses  Holloway  looked  superciliously  at  Emily. 

They  could  see  in  a  moment  that  Harkaway  was 
engaged  to  her,  and  they  had  particularly  asked  their 
brother  to  bring  some  nice  eligible  men  with  him. 

The  Misses  Holloway  wanted  to  get  married. 

Most  young  ladies  do. 

"  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you,  dear  Jack,"  answered  Emily. 
"  But  how  ill  you  look  !  " 

"Do  I?" 

"Yes,  indeed.  Have  you  been  working  too  hard 
lately  ? " 

"  Not  that  I  know  of,"  replied  Jack.      "  It  is  nothing." 

He  did  not  like  to  tell  her  he  was  haunted,  as  the  in- 
telligence would  have  alarmed  her. 

Presently  everyone  went  to  the  ice,  which  was  in  the 
centre  of  a  beautiful  park. 

The  ice  at  one  end  had  been  broken  up  for  the  cattle, 
and  as  the  water  was  very  deep  there,  the  skaters  were 
warned  to  keep  away  from  that  part 

Several  hours  were  spent  very  agreeably. 


302  JACK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

The  ladies  enjoyed  themselves  immensely,  and  Jack 
found  great  fun  in  teaching  Emily  to  skate. 

It  was  growing  dark,  and  Mr.  Holloway  proposed  that 
the  ladies  should  return  and  dress  for  dinner. 

Jack,  Harvey  and  Holloway  remained,  determined  to 
have  another  spin  before  they  left  off. 

"I'm  rather  cold,"  said  Jack.  "I've  been  coaching 
Emily,  and  I  think  I'll  have  a  livener." 

"Cut  along,  I'll  lead  you  a  chivey,"  said  Harvey. 

"No,  I'll  go  by  myself;  I'm  not  a  steam-engine  like 
you." 

"Bye-bye,"  said  Harvey,  who  spun  off  like  a  shot. 

Jack  went  off  slowly  at  first,  but  increased  his  pace 
as  he  proceeded  and  his  blood  warmed  with  the  exer- 
cise. 

The  darkness  increased. 

Innumerable  pine  and  larch  trees  lined  the  lake,  and 
cast  their  funereal  shadows  upon  the  shining,  slippery 
ice. 

Everything  looked  dismal  and  melancholy. 

There  was  a  clear  course  in  the  centre  of  the  lake,  of 
about  two  miles  from  end  to  end. 

The  ice  was  in  excellent  condition,  being  very  little 
cut  up,  and  as  smooth  as  glass. 

Suddenly  Jack  saw  a  figure  before  him. 

He  thought  it  was  Harvey. 

"Spin  along,  old  man,"  he  said,  in  high  spirits  now. 
"  Bet  you  a  skiv  I  catch  you." 

Putting  on  his  best  pace,  he  flew  over  the  ice. 

The  figure  before  him  made  no  reply. 

Skating  as  fast  as  he  could,  Jack  tried  to  overtake  the 
man  in  front  of  him. 

He  forgot  that  he  was  nearing  the  dangerous  portion  of 
the  lake,  the  part  of  which  he  had  been  warned  where 
the  ice  was  broken  for  the  cattle,  where  the  depth  was 
twenty  feet  or  more. 

The  blinding  snow  dashed  into  his  face,  but  he  still 
rushed  on. 

"  I  will  see  who  it  is,"  he  said  between  his  set  teeth. 

With  a  fierce  determination  he  urged  himself  to  his 
highest  speed,  like  a  skam-engine  under  full  pressure  of 
steam. 

All  at  once  the  figure  turned  round. 


JA  CK  HAR*  'A  WAY  Al   OXFORD.  303 

Jack  was  surprised,  foi  although  he  had  only  an  imper- 
fect view  of  the  features,  he  certainly  thought  it  looked 
like  Davis. 

"  Man,  ghost,  or  devil,"  he  ejaculated,  "  I  will  see  who 
you  are.  I  will  have  no  more  tricks  played  on  me." 

The  figure,  however,  was  by  this  time  many  jrards 
ahead,  and  turning  towards  the  other  skaters,  mingled 
with  them  and  was  lost  to  sight. 

Jack  followed. 

He  did  not  think  of  danger  ;  he  forgot  the  warnings 
that  had  been  given  him  until  a  great  black  gulf  yawned 
straight  in  front  of  him. 

Then  it  crossed  his  mind  that  he  was  close  upon  the 
broken  ice. 

Digging  his  heels  down,  he  tried  to  stop  himself. 

It  was  too  late. 

The  ice  gave  away  beneath  him  with  a  crash,  and  he 
was  plunged  into  the  deep  water,  which  eagerly  clasped 
him  in  its  freezing  embrace. 

Down,  down,  he  sank,  many,  many  feet 

His  heart  almost  ceased  to  beat,  and  he  gave  himself 
up  for  lost. 

It  is  not  easy  to  swim  in  cold  water  in  the  middle  o{ 
winter  after  a  week's  hard  frost,  when  you  have  a  thick 
boating  coat  on,  a  heavy  pair  of  boots  with  skates  at- 
tached, and  a  comforter  round  your  neck  which  seems  to 
be  doing  its  best  to  strangle  you. 

But  when  Jack  came  to  the  surface,  he  struck  oi '. 

It  was  so  dark,  and  the  snow  fell  so  quickly  '»hat  he 
could  not  tell  where  the  shore  was. 

After  swimming  a  few  strokes,  he  came  in  contact  with 
the  jagged,  broken  ice,  and  cut  his  hands. 

He  grasped  the  ragged  edge,  and  tried  to  haul  himself 
up 

In  vain. 

His  limbs  were  becoming  chilled,  and  he  felt  cramped 
all  over. 

"  Help  !  help  !  "  he  shouted. 

The  melancholy  sound  of  the  wind  through  the  branches 
oi  the  pine  trees  seemed  to  mock  him. 

"  Help,  help  !  "  he  continued  to  cry,   "I  am  drowning. 

The  snow  beat  upon  his  face,  and  the  icy  water  grew 
more  icy,  until  he  was  chilled  to  the  marrow  of  his  bones. 


304  JA  CK  HARK  A  WAY  AT  OXFORD. 

He  thought  of  his  darling  Emily. 

The  dear  little  girl  whom  he  loved  so  much,  and  who 
loved  him  with  the  same  affection  he  had  for  her. 

He  thought  of  the  merry  party  at  the  hall,  which  he 
had  hoped  to  join,  the  meeting  at  dinner,  and  the  round 
game  at  cards  in  the  evening. 

"Oh  !  it  is  hard  to  die  like  this,"  he  muttered — "  if  I 
must  die,  after  all  I  have  gone  through.  But  here  goes 
for  another  try." 

He  clutched  the  treacherous  ice,  and  was  only  rewarded 
by  breaking  off  several  pieces  instead  of  getting  a  firm 
footing. 

His  senses  gradually  began  to  leave  him. 

Suddenly  he  heard  a  voice  exclaim — 

"  Hullo,  Jack  !  where  are  you?    Hullo-o-u.!  " 

It  was  Harvey. 

Jack  was  so  far  gone  now  that  he  could  speak  only 
with  difficulty. 

"  Hi  1 "  he  answered.  "  Dick,  come  here.  I'm  in  the 
water. " 

Swift  as  lightning  Harvey  skated  to  the  spot. 

His  ears  had  caught  the  faint  so:md. 

He  knew  his  friend  was  in  danger. 

"Where  are  you?"  he  exclaimed,  pausing doubtingly 
in  the  snowstorm. 

"Here;  mind  how  you  come.  I'm  in  the  water. 
Gently,  for  Heaven's  sake  !  "  answered  Jack,  making  a  last 
effort. 

Harvey  went  down  on  his  hands  and  knees  and  crawled 
to  the  place  from  whence  the  voice  proceeded.  Soon 
strong  arms  had  grasped  him  and  laid  him  on  the  ice. 

Soon  a  loving  voice  whispered  words  of  encouragement 
to  him. 

But  Jack  heard  them  not ;  he  had  become  insensible. 

When  he  came  to  himself  he  was  lying  in  a  warm  bed, 
a  lamp  burned  on  a  table,  and  a  bright  fire  was  blazing 
in  the  grate. 

Harvey  was  by  his  side,  and  when  his  eyes  opened,  he 
said — 

"  That's  right,  old  man;  knew  you  would  be  yoursel! 
soon. " 

' '  How  did  it  happen  ? "  asked  Jack,  trying  to  remem- 
ber. 


JA  CK  HARKA  WAY  AT  OXFORD.  305 

"Drink  this,"  said  Harvey,  offering  him  some  wine- 
and-water  hot. 

Presently  it  all  came  back  to  him. 

The  figure,  the  fall  in  the  water,  his  despair,  and  Har- 
vey's friendly  voice. 

"Dick,  you  saved  my  life,  "he  said.  "But  how  did 
you  find  me  out  ?  " 

"I  saw  you  start  for  a  spin,  for  I  wasn't  far  off,"  re- 
plied Harvey,  "and  followed  you.  At  first  I  kept  up 
with  you  ;  afterwards  you  went  at  such  a  lick  I  was  left 
behind,  and  lost  you.  What  made  you  put  such  a  spurt 
on  ? " 

"I  saw  a  figure  I  thought  was  Davis.  I  resolved  to 
make  certain,  and  followed.  He  swerved  round  all  at 
once.  I  went  on  and  fell  in  the  water,  and  should  have 
been  drowned  if  it  had  not  been  for  you." 

"All  I  can  say  is,  that  Kemp  and  Davis  are  very  artful 
beggars,  and  it  is  just  on  the  cards  that  the  Singapore  fellow 
is  not  dead  yet,"  said  Harvey,  with  a  smile.  "  But,  never 
mind,  you're  all  right  now.  We've  kept  some  dinner  hot 
for  you,  and  Emily  says  she  hopes  to  see  you  in  the  draw- 
ing-room as  soon  as  possible.' 

"  How  about  togs  ?  " 

"Oh,  we've  found  some.  The  bag  may  be  a  little 
big,  but  the  coat  I  think  will  be  a  lovely  fit.  Jump  out." 

Jack  began  to  dress  himself. 

He  was  feeling  all  right  again. 

Seizing  Harvey's  hand,  he  exclaimed — 

"I  can  never  thank  you  enough,  Dick.  It  would  have 
been  horrible  to  drown  like  that,  and  it  was  touch  and  go." 

"  I'm  only  too  happy  to  have  come  up  when  I  did. 
What  a  night  it  is,  to  be  sure.  Snow  falling  in  torrents. 
We're  not  to  go  back  to-night. " 

The  conclusion  of  "Jack  Harkaway  at  Oxford"  k 
found  in  "Jack  Harkaway's  Strange  Adventures  at  Ox- 
ford" and  may  be  had  from  your  bookseller  or  from  t.h< 
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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  LOS  ANGELES 

THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


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«    JULtO  985 
H1985 


THE  LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
U)S  ANGEUES 


PZ7 
E37J3 


Jack  Harkaway 
at  Oxford. 


UCLA-Young  Research   Library 

PZ7  .H37JJ 


L  009  536  735  5 


PZ7 


